


You Make Me Feel Like We're J0806

by DancingSkys



Series: J0806 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: AcaDeca Squad because I love them, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Dyslexia, Dyslexic Peter Parker, Everyone Loves Peter Parker, F/M, Gay Harley Keener, Gay Peter Parker, Getting Together, Harley Keener is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Harley is a Mess, Lesbian Michelle Jones, M/M, May is a Legend, Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Mutual Pining, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Peter Parker Wears Glasses, Peter Parker isn't Spider-Man, Peter is a space geek, Pining Peter Parker, Romance, Social Media, Some Timeskips, Swearing, Texting, because it's Harley, pining harley keener, space facts coming your way, they want Peter to get a boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 76,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23634109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DancingSkys/pseuds/DancingSkys
Summary: All Harley wanted was a coffee and something to eat, he hadn't expect to leave with a raging crush on the barista.He didn't think he would be this quick to fall for someone but Peter had the kindest eyes and the sweetest smile he had ever seen. Not just this but he was obviously a science geek just like Harley himself. How could his weak gay ass not fall for someone like that?All that was left to do now was wooing Peter off his feet with Harley's amazing wooing skills. If he wasn't too much of a mess to pull it off because just thinking about Peter did funny things to his brain.
Relationships: Betty Brant/Ned Leeds, Harley Keener/Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: J0806 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751209
Comments: 198
Kudos: 669
Collections: Parkner Coffee Shop Collection





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> You will have to pry this ship from my cold dead hands. I don't care what kind of relationship or connection these two have but I love them.  
> I've been working on this for a while and quarantine makes me want to be productive in the only way I can manage which is writing. There is almost 60k of content currently and I'll do my best to update every day unless I suddenly get an idea and have to work on that.  
> This is honestly just 60k of two idiots being in love and living their life with romance and friends and wholesome interactions. Exactly what all of us need in these times.
> 
> Please appreciate what I did with the [title](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RX_J0806.3%2B1527), my friend said it's stupid so it's perfect.

There was an abundance of small establishments, cafés and otherwise okayish sources of food in the streets of New York. Heck, just hit up some street vendor for some churros or an overpriced crepe or whatever. Food was kind of easy to get and yet Harley, resident food enthusiast and young adult with money to spend, was going hungry. Absolutely unacceptable.

He had reached the point of hungry where he wanted to eat immediately but everything sounded incredibly unappealing. Even the churros which was a scandal he couldn’t wrap his head around in his current hangry state so he had decided to completely ignore it until later. 

As it was, he’d eat literally anything that sounded okayish and he seriously just needed to sit down somewhere, get away from the car honking and sound of heels clicking on asphalt and just relax for a minute.

Harley’s sluggish gaze settled on a sign that read something along the lines of ‘Parking’ and ‘Bakery’ - he honestly didn’t care. Bakery sounded good thought, bread was the superior form of nourishment in this world after all. He crossed the street in true New Yorker fashion and entered the small café. The bell above the door was almost too much of a cliché for Harley’s taste but he was hungry and his eyes were already consuming the words written on the big chalkboard above the counter. It was all handwritten in a neat cursive script, different colors and small drawings rounding out the menu. 

The offered drinks weren’t much out of the ordinary, a splash of youthful hipster vibes thrown into the mix just for the sake of going with the trends. This was New York, youthful hipsters were a large group of customers you didn’t want to miss out on. Who did you think gentrifies all the neighborhoods around here, huh?

Not that Harley would know anything about that but still. Chinatown was slowly but surely losing its China to diverse young adults working in the media industry. Apparently.

Harley sighed tiredly, choosing to go for something simple because he didn’t understand the fancy drinks. Coffee was coffee, was it not?

His eyes traveled down, passing the person behind the counter and settling on the display case. An array of different pastries was lined up and Harley had to admit his hangry state actually dwindled a little bit - at least the angry part. Those things looked good, great even. Good enough for it to be difficult deciding which one to go for. Some of those things he didn’t even know what they were, even with the small name cards. Like seriously, what was a Unicorn Flare? Or a Stardust Miracle? Only one way to find out because Harley was not about to eat anything catered towards e-girls and their weird pastel food cravings. 

He looked up at the person behind the counter and needed a moment to take in the picture before him.

The barista - was this the right term? - was a young guy with dark brown glasses perched on his nose. The kind which had suddenly become trendy in the last year but Harley didn’t know much about glasses fashion except for fancy sunglasses. The guy’s curly hair was swooped back carelessly with some strands falling into his face stubbornly. Much like Harley’s hair, it must be a hit or miss, some days it looked effortlessly styled and some days it looked like a huge mistake.

Funnily enough, the barista was not already staring at him in disapproval for taking so long to check his options, instead he hadn’t even looked up from the papers he was focusing on. They were stapled together at the top left corner and it looked like quite a stack. Harley tried taking a closer look but the words he could see were upside down and not very helpful. The footnotes hinted at some sort of research paper but he couldn’t be sure. The blue color and slightly bigger and kind of wonky font was a little unusual though. 

Whatever this guy was reading, it must have been captivating because even after several more moments of silent waiting he still hadn’t noticed his new customer. Harley and his stomach both agreed they should make themselves known so he cleared his throat while his stomach gurgled unintelligently.

The guy glanced up, brown eyes displaying confusion for all of two seconds before it shifted into realization and he jumped up onto his feet immediately. The paper was put away somewhere on the counter out of sight hastily and he smoothed a hand down the front of his apron out of habit. 

“Hi,” he said, a sweet but slightly frazzled smile appearing on his face. “Sorry, what can I get you?”

Harley, having forgotten what he wanted to drink upon being presented such a disarming smile took another glance at the blackboard to find what he had picked out again. “Uh… a latte with almond milk?”

The barista hummed, typing the order in with practiced ease. “Anything else?” he asked once he was done and glanced up again. 

Damn, those eyes were really attentive. Harley glanced at the pastry display to escape the gaze and gather his bearings. His stomach gurgled. “Do you have anything without fairy dust or unicorn sparkle?” he asked, too late realizing it might have come off as too snarky for some poor, minimum wage, sleep-deprived, college-aged barista but the guy just snorted. “Literally just fancy words for the regular thing.” He waved his hand dismissively. “You more into sweet things or looking for an actual meal?”

“Both if you have ‘em.” Because Harley. Was. Hungry.

“Sure.” The barista leaned back to take stock of what he had on hand. “So the cinnamon buns are really good for dessert. I’d take a sandwich as an actual meal. This one is with egg, tomatoes and bacon. Usually more for breakfast but I eat it all the time.” He pointed at Stardust Miracle and then at Eggception. Harley both hated and loved this place already. “Yeah, okay,” he reached for his wallet in his back pocket, “I’d eat a soggy taco at this point.”

The barista made a face in sympathy. “Those things are better than a soggy taco, trust me.”

Harley could stop himself before he said something stupid like ‘I do’. Nice safe, Keener. Instead, he just nodded and fiddled with the bills in his wallet while the guy typed in the rest of his order. “Alright, that’s 8,95 please.” 

Harley had found the smallest bill he had. Grant was staring at him disapprovingly like giving him away was a personal offense to his person. He wouldn't miss that 50 dollar bill in his wallet, Harley decided and handed it over. The barista took it and typed the amount into the register. Harley only now realized the guy had a name tag with a few small stickers on it, stickers of tiny fish and a whale at that. Peter, his name was Peter. And he had a name tag with fish stickers. Harley took another look at him but quickly realized he couldn’t say whether or not the guy looked like a Peter because this was literally the first time he had ever met someone named Peter in person. Wasn’t Peter a pretty common name? Why had Harley never met one before? Was there a secret society of Peters who had sworn to never cross Harley’s way? If yes then he needed to figure out why and why one of those secret society Peters had now come out of hiding on this particular day.

“There you go.”

He was shaken out of his thoughts and blinked twice to focus. Peter was holding out Harley’s change which he accepted.

For one moment he thought about giving one Jackson as a tip but Peter was already busy preparing his order and the moment was gone. Harley pondered about his options before spotting a tip jar and discreetly sliding one of the twenty-dollar bills into it. Double the amount of his purchase as a tip was maybe a bit overkill anyway. Most would be suspicious about that, especially from a college-age guy like himself. He was aware he didn’t look poor per se but also not like he could throw money out of the window without even noticing a dent in his bank account. It was better to act according to people’s assumptions rather than proving them completely wrong in such cases.

“You wanna sit down or to go?” Peter asked and Harley made his decision in a slip second. “For here,” he blurted and then wondered why he hadn’t said it like a normal person. 

“Alright,” Peter chirped. “You can go pick a spot, I’ll bring it over in a sec.”

Harley wanted to protest but one glance around told him there were only two other people and obviously no line behind him. Peter had been reading so there hadn’t been much to do before either. He was probably happy about having something to do for a few minutes at least so Harley swallowed any protests and slipped onto the bench on the wall facing the counter. Might as well take advantage of the view while he was here. Peter was nice to look at. 

Okay, Harley’s brain, shut up. We’re not entering that derogatory territory. Stop that. Fucking lizard brain. You are a respectable young man and Peter deserves to be treated with the same amount of respect regardless of his oblivious attractiveness.

Harley slumped in on himself and fished his phone out of his pocket as not to appear like a creep. There were no important unread messages, only a few emails that he didn’t need to pay any attention to. Instead, he refreshed his Instagram timeline which he hadn’t done since breakfast and was decently proud of himself for finding a place with free wifi. After two minutes of scrolling, some concealed staring from behind his phone and the almost soothing noise of the machines promising coffee Peter walked around the counter with a tray in his hands and Harley sat up giddily. He allowed himself to take a complete, albeit quick, sweep of Peter’s entire frame and noticed the worn-out converse and the rolled-up hems of his blue jeans. There were a few tears and rather distressed areas but Harley couldn’t decide whether it was fashion or from wear and tear. Either way, it looked good.

“Here you go,” Peter said in that endearingly cheerful not overly fake tone of voice that made Harley want to smile. “Enjoy.”

And with that, he was already on his way back before Harley’s brain could come up with anything to say other than a belated ‘thanks’. He shook his head, the smell of coffee promising a more wakeful state of mind so he got started on that. It was good. Not the best because Harley has had all sorts of fancy coffee in his life but it was pretty good for a random café in the streets of New York. The sandwich was amazing though and the cinnamon bun had just the right balance of dough and cinnamon. It was easy to relax and enjoy his treats with the noise of the streets thankfully being kept away. The soft beats of music were not obnoxiously trying to be relevant but faded into the background. 

Once the hangry monster inside of Harley’s stomach was satisfied with coffee and treats he dared to look back towards the counter. Peter was perched on his stool again, a wad of papers in one hand while supporting his chin with the other and reading. Harley was seated at the opposite wall but the café wasn’t terribly big so he could see the other’s face just fine. Peter’s eyes sometimes switched back and forth quickly as if he was reading something several times or jumping back and forth as if he wasn’t reading at all. His posture seemed relaxed though and Harley assumed he was actually invested in whatever his reading material was or he would have noticed being stared at for several minutes straight.

Harley wondered what exactly it was Peter was reading. It sure seemed interesting but it obviously wasn’t a regular book and Peter didn’t look like the kind of guy who printed out fanfiction to read it on the job. Whatever it was, Harley was intrigued simply by the desire to know. His thirst for knowledge stretched further than just engineering and coding much to his dad’s disdain.

He tapped an alternating rhythm onto the table with the fingers of one hand while he stared, considering his options. One of them was simply leaving because what he came here to do, relax and eat something, was accomplished therefore he had no reason to stay. Then again, Peter might just be the perfect reason.

A specimen like him was allowed to steal some of Harley’s attention as he had no otherwise pressing matters to tend to. It wasn’t just the paper that intrigued Harley after all. He could appreciate people like Peter who had this likable aura floating around them, who didn’t even need to do anything for people to feel sympathetic towards them. All Peter had done in the last half hour was reading and doing his job as a barista but Harley already thought of him as a nice guy. Well, he looked nice too which was an appreciated bonus. 

Usually, Harley was very confident in saying he wasn’t shy. The setting he had grown up in would shape a person this way but Harley was naturally outgoing and sometimes a bit too uncaring. Usually, he wouldn’t debate this long and just do it but for once he wanted to do it right. Not come off as some brassy guy who thought the world would bend to his every wish. It wasn’t the way he was but it was the way he came across sometimes, he was well aware of this. Confidence came to a price. So, to not come across this way he had to at least analyze his situation a little bit and come up with a strategy. 

He could go up to the counter and order something else, maybe something to go so he had a way out in case the experiment would blow up in his face. Or he could just be brassy and ask for a date, assuming Peter was even into that which… Harley squinted at the guy, willing his very broken gaydar to please just work for once but nope, nothing happened. No sudden realization or knowing feeling overcame him. He was just squinting at a guy all the way across the café. Great.

Judging from Peter’s overall look he could determine absolutely nothing because gay people, much to other peoples’ shock, did not collectively dress a specific way to signalize their sexuality. They weren’t birds for fuck’s sake. All he got from Peter’s look was him probably going more for a comfortable look than something extravagant. Then again, he was on the job so maybe they had some sort of dress code he had to adhere to. 

Geez. Harley flopped back against the backrest of the bench and blew out a quiet breath. He really shouldn’t enter any sort of detective field. He was awful at this and all this analyzing and staring had earned him exactly nothing. No plan of action, no further information to help him navigate. He had no layout he could follow, no rules or coding, no script, nothing. These were uncharted waters and Harley did not like it one bit.

His right eye twitched in annoyance as realization dawned upon him. Or something akin to realization because he didn’t want to admit he was actually feeling a bit nervous for once. He could talk to people in power no problem, navigate social interactions of the highest class but hand him some cute guy in a bakery and suddenly the computer in his brain malfunctioned. Unbelievable. Truly and utterly unbelievable. His dad would cackle in delight if he ever got wind of this so Harley swore to take it to the grave. This and he decided to fuck the malfunctioning of his brain and his nervous system because he was fucking Harley Keener and when the chips were down he could still just book it out of the door and never come back. The chances of ever randomly meeting someone again in freaking New York were one in literally eight million. He should be fine.

Harley grabbed his tray with the empty cup and place and quietly put it into one of the trolley thingies before approaching the counter again. Another attempt at figuring out what the paper ended in yet another failure because Harley, as talented and amazing as he was, could still not read anything upside down without looking like a complete idiot. 

This time it took Peter only a few moments to notice the shadow. He glanced up and realized it wasn’t just a play of the light. The sweet smile was back and Harley found himself unable to resist the urge to smile back. Something about Peter made him feel strangely happy to be here.

“Would you like anything else?” Peter asked as he straightened up, the paper being put down on the counter again. Harley’s eyes followed the motion, ignoring the ‘your number’ his broken computer spat out. “What’s that?” he asked instead, making sure to sound genuinely curious and not nervous or anything. 

Peter glanced down at the paper and his friendly smile turned into something more sheepish and guarded. “Oh it’s… just a research paper,” he said, voice getting fainter towards the end. Harley noticed but didn’t want to give up so easily.

“You read research papers? For fun or for university?” Harley paid special attention to his tone in order not to fall back into mean teasing which he sometimes did - especially when nervous which he obviously never was. Instead, he went for friendly and interested. A crook of his head, small eyebrow raise and easy smile, that should work. He didn’t know Peter and from his reaction to the first question, this was something important to him. 

Peter rubbed the back of his neck. “Not for university, that’s… no, not really. Mostly just because it’s interesting, to be honest.”

Harley hummed, very much intrigued because rarely did people share his hobby of reading academic papers just for fun and because they were interesting. “Can I see?” This time he didn’t have to pay special attention to his tone, knowing Peter shared this particular hobby of his was enough to get him genuinely excited. Peter flipped the paper so Harley could see the first page and made an approving sound. “Banner and biochemistry. You have good taste, my friend. What do you think of it?”

Peter blinked in surprise, his expression shifting to something less guarded and more intrigued. “Well, I’m like barely two pages in but I like his take on stem cells. I wanna know what his conclusion is.”

“This the first work of him you’re reading?” 

“Nah, read all the ones I could find until now. I kinda trust Banner the most when it comes to cells. Just… feel like I don’t have to question anything when he writes it.”

Harley grinned. This was the exact same way he felt about Bruce Banner. “If you liked his past papers you’re gonna like his conclusion here as well,” he said and pointed towards the paper. “Made me want to try my hand at biochemistry but it’s really not my strong suit.”

“You read it?” Peter asked and gone was the reserved expression. He was fully invested now and Harley couldn’t deny falling a bit in love with a guy he literally did not know simply because of his enthusiasm for science. This guy read those papers for fun, folks. Where are you gonna find a man like that?

“Not completely but the gist of it. Had a lecture on it.” Harley said because he couldn’t really say he had Bruce Banner explain his research to him in person as he went. It was hella cool but he sadly couldn’t say it without ruining all chances for a normal conversation. Would have probably earned him a lot of bonus points though. 

“Ah man, I wish more people would read these,” Peter sighed. “This is literally so cool.”

Harley grinned and hummed. “I think most people don’t want to invest the time to understand ‘em. If you’re not into this whole science thing you probably don’t care about stem cells.”

“But it’s so cool,” Peter insisted like he genuinely couldn’t understand why people would think otherwise.

Harley laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I know. Makes me wanna go off when people don’t care about those things. Same with code. When I finally get it to work and people don’t get why I obsessed over it for weeks straight and lost sleep just to get it right.” He shrugged. “But it’s nice when someone has the same appreciation for those things.” He grinned at Peter who grinned back, a sudden mutual understanding blossoming between them. 

“Well, fellow nerd,” Peter said. “Can I get you anything else?”

Harley had to decide in a split second but he was already talking before he could stop himself. “No, no, I was just curious about what you’re reading. You were really invested so I thought maybe fanfiction.”

Peter, not having expected this, snorted at the absurdity. “Printed out fanfiction on the job?” he asked and Harley shrugged. “Who knows?”

Peter shook his head. “No fanfiction.”

“Just science.”

The small laugh Peter tried to hide made Harley feel like he had just finished a coding project he had been stressing out over. He basked in his silent victory for a moment before deciding he should go while he had not yet fucked anything up. “Alright, I gotta go but I like you, Peter,” he said and pointed at the barista who looked both amused and flustered. “You are a man of taste and I can appreciate that.”

Peter snorted bemusedly. “Alright, fellow man of taste.”

Harley clicked his tongue and sent Peter a hopefully charming smile. He was usually pretty good at this. A two-finger salute and a chill ‘see ya’ accompanied his exit and Harley decided not to think about that. Instead, he walked away like he had a purpose and took another look at the sign above the café to burn ‘Parker - Bakery and Pastry’ into his brain because he was so coming back here.


	2. Chapter Two

The next time Harley went to the café he brought his laptop because why not? 

Last time it was quiet, there was free wifi and the coffee was good so he might as well spend some time there. Then he could stay as long as he wanted and alternate between getting some work done and staring at Peter who would hopefully be there. 

Harley only now realized the café might have more than one employee and the possibility of Peter not being on the clock today was very real. He shook his head, deciding not to think about it. He could just stay for some coffee and a snack after all. 

As long as he bought something he was a customer and they wouldn’t say anything about him being there, right?

Maybe, even if Peter was there, he wouldn’t remember or recognize Harley. Also, a very real possibility that might even drive Harley not to return were it to be true. 

There was nothing more soul-crushing than looking forward to seeing someone again and having the person in question not even remember you. It would be a blow to Harley’s pride and he’d have to reconsider some things before he’d be confident enough in approaching someone again. 

Harley scoffed to himself. Since when was he obsessing so much about another person? Why was he going through a ton of different scenarios in his head instead of just doing it? This was not his usual, laid-back approach to these matters and it was not a good look on him. 

Without much further ado Harley opened the door to ‘Parker - Bakery, and Pastry’, his gaze immediately drifting towards the counter and unbeknownst to him a smile sneaked onto his face. 

Peter was taking the order of a small group of girls who were all requesting different variations of coffee-based milkshakes with added ingredients such as syrups or chocolate. 

Harley was amazed about the complexity of their orders that rolled off their tongues with practiced ease. Perhaps they were regulars and knew the menu like they knew the vast insides of their overgrown purses. They could easily pass as carry-on bags on the airplane. Seriously, what were those things?

After taking all five of their orders Peter got to work and the group settled around two big tables which they had pushed together. Harley almost felt bad about approaching the counter while Peter was obviously busy.

Would his mere presence stress him out? Then again, this was his job and until now Peter had seemed to be fairly accustomed to everything. An additional customer, while he was busy, should not be reason enough to panic, right? 

Choosing to trust his gut on this one Harley stepped up to the counter, eyes remaining on Peter for a moment before traveling up towards the blackboard. Perhaps he should try one of those complex drinks as well and widen his horizon beyond the wonders of plain coffee and different kinds of milk. Soy was definitely very low on his like-list.

“I’ll be there in a sec,” Peter said without looking properly and Harley hummed. 

“Take your time.” 

Peter just nodded absentmindedly and continued with the second drink. It took a while but Harley was in no rush to get away from the counter. Thankfully there was no one behind him so he could take his time and maybe chat a bit with Peter who was now balancing all five drinks on a tablet, including some pastries as well, and bringing them over to the girls who thanked him excitedly. 

Only when he came back did he take a proper look at Harley. His expression shifted into a genuine smile, clearly recognizing him much to Harley’s glee. 

“Hi there, fellow nerd and man of taste,” he said humorously and Harley grinned. A man of taste and one who knew to appreciate the wonders of humor. This was great. “Back again on a quest for nourishment?”

A snort escaped Harley as he tried to keep his laughter in check. “Yeah. On a quest that apparently involves questionable unicorns and fairy dust.”

Peter hummed. “Don’t tattle, the Instagram models love it and it’s good for business.” He gestured towards the group of girls subtly who were all gushing about their drinks and snacks and taking pictures from seven different angles.

“A nerd, a man of taste and a man of business, I’m quite intrigued,” Harley mused and Peter rolled his eyes good-naturedly, never losing his smile. “Decided already?” he asked.

Harley stole another look at the blackboard and pursed his lips. There were quite a few options and having witnessed the ladies just now he was curious about what else his taste buds could be treated with. 

“I don’t think I’ve heard orders like that anywhere else than Starbucks and I’m gonna be honest and say I don’t get Starbucks so I’m a little lost once it goes further than just coffee and milk.” This was an honest admission he wouldn’t have said anywhere else. He didn’t feel like Peter would judge him though.

“Well,” Peter said, “I don’t drink coffee so I might not be the best help but-”

“You don’t drink coffee?” Harley asked, utterly confused and unable to keep himself from interrupting. “You make coffee all day but you don’t drink it?” 

Peter raised an eyebrow over the rim of his glasses. “Just because I know how to make it doesn’t mean I drink it. Just because you build space ships doesn’t mean you’re an astronaut.”

Harley opened his mouth. 

And closed it again.

He crooked his head. “Comparison is questionable but point taken. Okay, sorry, please continue.” He gestured with his hand.

“Right.” Peter took a moment to get back on track. “I know these things in theory so just give me the things you don’t like and I can recommend some other stuff. I’m usually pretty good with matching drinks to people.”

It sounded like he was a coffee guru and honestly, Harley would have believed him had he said it. Even after hearing Peter didn’t drink coffee himself.

“I feel really fancy like I’m in a wine cellar,” Harley said giddily. Peter’s eyebrow peeked over his glasses again in amusement. 

“Okay, things I don’t like. Well, dark chocolate for one, everything too bitter actually, and anything with crumbs in it?” Harley shuddered. “I saw that once and I don’t know why people would want crumbs in their drinks but I’m not one of them. Nothing too strong? Because with how much coffee I drink I’m going to start vibrating.” Harley wasn’t sure if this was too long. 

Peter just snickered about the last comment and nodded his head. “Noted.”

“Oh and no lactose. That won’t end well.”

“Also noted.” Peter turned around to everything at his disposal and considered his options for a while. “Well, almond milk is already sweeter than regular. If you’re not too adventurous I’d just go with caramel and vanilla. It makes it sweet, obviously, but I’ve heard from my insider sources that it’s a very drinkable combination. Not too strong.”

“That makes it sound like there is some back alley stuff going on involving coffee combinations.”

“Nah.” Peter turned back towards Harley. “Just my friends who abuse my abilities for making them coffee all the time.” It made him sound like some sort of superhero. Maybe he really was a coffee guru.

“Huh, sounds like something I’d do.” Harley grinned. “And I’ll trust your judgment and take one of those.” 

“Also a coffee addict?” Peter asked concerning Harley’s earlier comment as he typed the order into the register. “Some food as well?”

“Yeah, got it from my dad, I think,” Harley sighed. “I tried it once and now I live off of it.” 

He took a look at the pastries and picked out one that seemed interesting. Thankfully the ingredients were listed underneath the ridiculous names so he at least knew what he was eating because it wasn’t fairy dust for sure. The colorful sprinkles could be mistaken as such but he knew better.

“Maybe try a tea once in a while,” Peter suggested with a teasing look as he counted the change and gave it to Harley who scrunched up his face. “Tea is just flavored hot water.”

Peter looked at him with a weird face, somewhere between confused and amused. “Yeah, that’s the point, genius. Coffee is just hot bean juice.”

Harley laughed and shook his head. “Nah, man, not for me. I’ll stick to my hot bean juice.

Peter shrugged, shoving the register shut with a carelessness for the apparatus’s integrity which could only be acquired through long working experience. 

“Not liking tea is an unknown concept to me. It’s way more versatile than coffee and doesn’t make your brain do funny things. Way better for your heart too. And there are so many flavors and it’s way easier to make yourself and you can’t really screw it up. Cheaper too in most cases.” Peter waved his hand absentmindedly as he explained.

He sure sounded passionate about his tea. Harley squinted at him. “You are not secretly British, are you? Because I’m not hearing an accent so either you’re a spy who has learned how to cover that up or I don’t know what’s going on. Then I’d understand the tea thing. A Brit not liking tea would probably be treason against the queen.”

Peter laughed and shook his head. “You’re staying here or to go?”

“Nope, staying here.”

“Alright.” Peter turned around and got started on Harley’s drink. “And no, I’m not British and I’m not a secret spy covering up my accent. I couldn’t call my pants trousers, that’s just weird.”

“That’s reassuring then.”

Peter placed the cup under the coffee machine and pressed some buttons. He glanced over his shoulder and found Harley still standing there. “You can go sit down if you want.”

Harley shook his head. “Nah,” he smiled sweetly. “I like it here, has good company.”

Peter stared at him for a moment before smiling softly and shaking his head. His attention was back on the coffee, adding a few things from pumps in the back. Watching him work was almost therapeutic. 

Even before Harley had noticed how he moved calmly, without stress, but with purpose nevertheless. Every step came to him naturally like he had been doing this for a long time. There was no fumbling or looking around, everything happened fluidly without interruptions and without hitches. 

Surely Peter was regularly if not always employee of the month. He had helped Harley out with his drink although he himself wasn’t interested in coffee in the least. He was always nice and again, he simply had this charismatic aura that made people like him. 

The only one who might not like him would be those annoying ‘I want to speak to the manager’ soccer moms who would be dissatisfied no matter what.

Harley wondered if Peter often got people who yelled at him or were just generally rude. As someone who has never had a job like this or in retail he didn’t know how often it really happened but he had heard some real horror stories about the attitude of some customers. His expertise was in a different field where he was usually the one in power. 

The customer is king or whatever bullshit that saying was did not exist when you were in a position like Harley was. 

“By the way,” he said, Peter tilting his head just slightly to show he was listening. “Did you finish the paper?”

Peter froze, eyes unmoving for a moment. Harley wasn’t sure why. He probably just had to think about what exactly Harley meant. “Oh…” Peter started moving again, clearing his throat and shifting. “No, I… I’ve been busy so… still got some left. Just… a lot to do?” 

He said this like it was a question like he had to think of an excuse as to why he hadn’t read it yet. Harley was surprised. Especially because Peter seemed to have been really into it the last time he had visited about a week ago. Obviously, a research paper was no light reading material but judging from how Peter had read it on the job and how excited he had been Harley would have thought he’d get through it as quickly as possible. 

“Well, no one’s rushing,” Harley said with a shrug. “Just tell me you’re done and then we can geek out about it if you want to.” Geeking out together with Peter sounded fun and Harley wanted to know more about what kind of science talks he enjoyed most.

This brought the smile back to Peter’s face. “You geek out about biochemistry?” he asked, finishing up the drink and setting a plate onto the counter for Harley’s snack. “Sounded like you were more into code last time.”

Attentive. This was a nice surprise. Maybe Harley should have guessed this with how attentive Peter’s eyes were. He seemed to be actually looking at you which was surprisingly rare in today’s day and age where literally anything was a distraction from a genuine conversation. 

Peter was ‘just a barista’ but he seemed to look at you like you could be telling him about your deepest regrets just as much as about what he should put into your coffee. It felt almost personal. Maybe he was also a bartender? 

“Oh yeah, I mean,” Harley shrugged, “code and everything with engineering is the stuff you can really get me with but I’d never pass up on any opportunity to geek out about science with a fellow nerd. You can never learn enough and hearing other people talking about it makes me wanna learn more.”

“Same,” Peter sighed. “My friend is also really into coding and when he explains it to me I get excited about it just because he’s excited about it. Especially because I’m not the best with code so when he has the time to help out and explain I suddenly feel way smarter.”

“Peter,” Harley mused and Peter’s eyes immediately switched over to him at the unexpected use of his name. Harley didn’t allow himself to falter. “You’re really turning out to be more and more a man of my taste and I really like that.” 

It had tumbled out of Harley’s mouth faster than he could have stopped it but he didn’t regret saying it. It was true after all and maybe… maybe this did something. Harley wasn’t sure what it was supposed to do though.

Such an honest admission was obviously not what Peter had expected because he fumbled a little with what he was doing, expression downright flustered. It was cute, Harley wanted to do it again. His lizard brain liked this reaction. Peter cleared his throat to gain his composure back and wiped his hands on his apron mostly out of habit after presenting Harley his order. 

“That’s… nice I guess… thanks.” He smiled shyly.

Oh, Harley really liked this. He took the tablet with his order and nodded his head. “I’ll let you know how the drink was.”

“Oh yeah,” Peter needed a second to find his footing again. “Let me know if my assessment was good enough for the wine cellar.”

Harley laughed. “Will do.”

The drink turned out to be great, perfect even, but Harley was sure he’d find everything Peter presented him nothing less than great. Even the fancy coffee wouldn’t be able to keep up with it.

Was he whipped?

You bet.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we'll get more than just conversations over the counter, promise. It's also longer~  
> And thank you for the positive feedback! It's really nice to hear people like the story.

When Harley dropped by next, on yet another day of the week, he was once again aware of the possibility of Peter not being there. Yet, as he opened the door, Peter was talking to a girl behind the counter who wore the same apron as him. She was drying off cups and nodding along to whatever Peter was talking about. Her long black ponytail bobbed, her dangly earrings swinging back and forth with the movement. Both looked up at the sound of the bell and Peter smiled as Harley approached the counter.

“Hey,” he said, sounding genuinely happy which in turn made Harley happy. “Are you back to refill your possibly way too large caffein tank?”

Harley laughed. “Partly, yes.” For a second he debated laying it on thick and revealing his true intentions - seeing Peter - but decided against it. Maybe later when he wasn’t being such a chicken about it. He also noticed the girl following their conversation with badly-concealed curiosity and if Harley made a fool out of himself he’d rather do it without an audience. They’d just spread his tale of failure and he wouldn’t be able to lead a normal life anymore. “Your wine cellar skills have swayed me and I felt compelled to come back.”

“Oh I like when I can persuade customers into coming back.”

“I’m sure you’re great at that.”

The girl’s eyebrows did a funny climb up her forehead but she didn’t say anything. She has been drying the same cup this entire time. Peter sent Harley a look but there had been nothing but honesty in Harley’s voice, no irony or teasing, just a bit of flirting. Peter relented after a moment. “Perhaps sometimes.”

Harley just hummed, leaving it at that. Disagreeing and saying people surely came back simply because of Peter - *cough* e.g. Harley - would probably fall into the category of ‘laying it on too thick’ which he was trying to stay away from. Peter didn’t seem like the type who be impressed by endless flirting and compliments. Such a shallow attempt usually worked best for shallow people and Peter was anything but shallow.

“You want the same as last time or do you want to try something new?” Peter asked curiously and Harley considered for a moment. “Same as last time. As much as I trust your wine cellar skills, I don’t think I’m feeling adventurous enough today. Maybe another time.” 

Peter nodded and typed it into the register. “Any snacks today?”

“Nah, just the coffee.”

They exchanged money and once again Harley slipped a Jackson into the tip jar. Just because he wasn’t giving Peter the tip personally didn’t mean he didn’t leave one. He just hoped the money actually got to the employees and not just the owner. Sadly there were way too many places where this apparently happened which is why Harley liked giving the money to the person in question directly. 

“Working on some code again?” Peter asked as he grabbed a cup and prepped the machine. Harley took a moment of belated impressiveness that Peter had actually remembered his order from last time. Surely there were a bunch of customers with very personalized orders coming in every day. Remembering every single one of those didn’t seem practical nor possible so he prided himself with the assumption of being worthy enough to be remembered. Not just this but Peter also remembered Harley talking about code and seeing him with his laptop, typing away furiously, must have lead to this conclusion.

“Yeah.” Harley put his wallet away. “It’s an upgrade for a computer system.” In its most simplistic form because Friday could not deny she was somewhat of a system tied to a server but she’d take great offence to being called a computer. Then again, saying he was working on an update for the most advanced and personalized AI on earth belonging to the one and only Tony Stark might not be the best sentence to be thrown into casual conversation.

“Oh.” Peter raised a brow, not looking away from where he was working on the coffee. “That sounds interesting.” And he actually meant it. Usually people said ‘that sounds interesting’ when they didn’t really care or when they didn’t know what else to say. Sometimes it was even a polite code for ‘I have no idea what that is but please stop talking about it’. From Peter though it sounded genuinely interested. “And complicated,” he added.

“I could show you if you want?” Harley offered before he could stop himself. Peter glanced up at him and for a moment they just stared at each other. Harley wasn’t sure if there was someone using a jackhammer in the café or if it was his pulse ringing in his ears. The girl was now staring as well.

Must be the jackhammer.

The intense moment was interrupted by the ringing of the bell. Coming into the café was a group of students chatting among themselves and approaching the counter. They stopped off to the side to discuss their options. The girl finally put down the cup and picked up a new one.

Peter smiled apologetically. “Maybe some other time, it usually gets a bit busier around now and I can’t leave so...” He finished the coffee and placed in front of Harley, leaving his last sentence unfinished. “I’d like that though.”

Harley tried hard not to grin too foolishly. Some other time sounded just as good since it wasn’t a rejection. “Okay, another time. Maybe I’ll even be done by then.”

“Even if it’s not I’d still like to see it. Might have to explain a few things to me though.” Peter rubbed the back of his neck and looked a little self-conscious. Harley didn’t like that and almost pouted. Self-conscious was not something he liked seeing on Peter. “I’m… not the fastest at getting code.”

Harley scoffed and waved his hand in dismissal. “Oh, I love explaining and talking about my creations. I probably won’t shut up about it so I’ll apologize in advance,” he admitted sheepishly. It was something he had run into a few times. Especially when he was really excited about something and going off about it in the presence of someone who was either just really not interest or didn’t get it at all. People didn’t like feeling dumb and apparently Harley managed to make them feel exactly that when he talked about his projects.

His dad obviously always said to never hide his passion or his intelligence. Only those with a lack thereof would be jealous of the intellect of someone else. Those who were genuinely intelligent would recognize someone’s creations as the breakthroughs they were and would be more than eager to discuss them. The more Harley got to see of the world the more he agreed with these words. Still sometimes hard to live by though. 

“Hey, don’t apologize for being passionate,” Peter scolded gently. “There is nothing wrong with that.”

Harley smiled. He remembered their first encounter where Peter had been reluctant to say what he was reading like he had expected to be ridiculed for it. “Sounds like you’ve been told the same thing before.”

Peter huffed and he looked kind of cute with his cheeks puffed out and his shoulders slumped in defeat. “Occasionally,” he mumbled. “I tend to go off and ramble and then apologize so yeah, it’s come up quite a bit.” It took a second but then the smile was back in place. “Anyway, I’d like to see what you're working on.”

Harley snapped his fingers and almost said ‘it’s a date’ but hesitated a second too long. “We’ll do that,” he said instead which was honestly kind of lame and embarrassing. Then again, he didn’t know what of the two options was actually more embarrassing. Deciding to ignore it and barrel on like nothing happened he focused on something that had been bugging him for a while now. “By the way, do you work here every day?” Thankfully Harley did not sound judgmental when he asked this. He did absolutely not want to sound like he was judging Peter based on the type of job he was working or that he was working instead of going to school. That was absolutely none of his business.

“Mostly,” Peter said. “Occasionally not, if I want to take a day off but I tend to be here every day except for Sunday and Thursday.” He nodded his head and grinned. Thankfully he hadn’t taken any offence because of the question. “Planning your next visit already?”

“Well, it’d be a shame if I came by and you weren’t here,” Harley said like it was obvious. To him it was very much obvious.

Peter just laughed softly. “Someone else can make the coffee just as much as I can.”

“Yeah but I’m not just coming for the coffee.” Oh shit, had he really just said that? Where had the ‘not laying it on too thick’ suddenly gone? Harley forgot how to breathe for a second, his and Peter’s eyes meeting and remaining frozen like this until Harley’s broken computer reconnected to the wifi. Thank fuck for that. “I mean, you wouldn’t get much out of me explaining the code to your coworkers now, would you?” Nice safe, Harley. The girl looked like she was pained by the conversation that was going on right next to her.

Peter huffed softly and shook his head. “The code… yeah… I guess not, no. Seems like you’ll have to come by when I’m here then.” 

“That can be arranged.” Harley nodded. “Alright then, I think I’m holding up the line.” Because the students had finished discussing their drinks and were now waiting without wanting to look like they were eavesdropping. Harley was convinced they had listened to most of their conversation but he didn’t care. He picked up his coffee and pointed at Peter. “You better be on break or whatever when we’re doing this.”

“We’ll see,” Peter said with a grin. “Better be here around one then.”

It was about half an hour later when the rush had died down a little and Peter finally had a moment to get all the coffee orders out of his head. He was in the middle of cleaning up the counter when Melissa bumped his hip playfully. Peter glanced over and rolled his eyes as soon as he saw her wiggling her perfectly groomed eyebrows at him.

“What?” he mumbled without heat behind his words, continuing to scrub at the small patch of dried coffee in front of him. 

Melissa snorted, leaning against the counter and popping out her hip. She wasn’t the tallest but somehow she had this demanding presence. The eyeliner made her eyes even sharper than they already were with lashes so long Peter still questioned whether they were natural or not. They couldn’t be but they also didn’t look like extensions. Together with her never-ending, all-black outfits and sparkly jewelry she made her presence bigger than her small physical stature. “Uhu,” she said, eyebrows still raised. “Wanna tell me who Mr. Hottie is?”

“Don’t call him that, Jesus,” Peter hissed hurried, glancing at the person in question as if he could hear their conversation from across the café. Thankfully his attention seemed to be entirely on his screen, eyebrows pinched as he worked on a solution for whatever recent problem the code had created. Peter didn’t want to admit it but the name was horribly fitting. The guy was attractive, even a lesbian would admit that… at leash he thought they would. Peter needed a lesbian to ask for her opinion. They were usually good judges of character as well. 

Realizing he had been staring Peter lowered his gaze again hurriedly. Something about this guy made him feel funny. Not, not funny. It was a strange feeling, not unpleasant but not all calm either. There was this strange sort of excitement and joyfulness when Peter saw him walk through the door and this was only the third time he had ever interacted with him. He had this easygoing attitude that made it easy to talk to him. Peter didn’t feel like he was judged silently for whatever he was doing or talking about which was really nice. He usually only felt this comfortable around friends he had known for a while. 

Melissa took another look at the guy as well. Peter wanted to keep her from staring but how could he do that when he had been sneaking looks as well. He just hoped they weren’t too obvious about it. “Well I don’t know whatever I witnessed going on between you two right there but I must say I’m shocked. You usually don’t flirt with customers.”

Peter turned to her with a mixture of disbelief and shock. Melissa just stared back innocently. Peter couldn’t believe what he had just heard. “I did not  _ flirt _ .”

Melissa snorted like he had just said the most absurd thing ever. “Uh, yeah you did.”

“I did not.”

“You didn’t even notice.” She snickered in delight.

Peter opened his mouth to protest but found himself unable to do so. Melissa looked at im smugly. She then shook her head as if he was a lost cause. “Look, it’s fine, he seemed nice.” She glanced over to the door as the bell chimed and a couple walked in with shopping bags decorating their arms. “Woo him with coffee skills… or wine cellar skills… whatever that is.”

“It’s…” Peter gestured but was unable to explain himself in time. He sighed and tuned Melissa out as she took the couple’s order. He sneaked another glance at the guy and wondered if had really been that obvious that even a bystander was able to figure out something was going on between them. 

Peter just hoped it wasn’t one-sided.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Space facts coming your way because I love space and I made Peter share my fascination.  
> I'm so happy this story can brighten some people's days while isolating. Your comments make my day as well so thank you <3

Harley was a smart lad. He pushed open the door of the café on a Wednesday at ten to one, remembering the pointers Peter had given him. This was a day where he would probably be on the clock and it was before he might take his break around one but not too early to make him take a break before he had completed the first half of his shift. 

Peter was just finishing up a to-go order for two guys and handing them over the counter. They were already sipping on their drinks when they walked past Harley and out the door, complaining about something to do with economics and their incompetent professor. Peter wiped down the counter with a small cloth and then turned around to put a few used cups into the dishwasher. He noticed the new customer as soon as he stepped up to the counter and turned his head. It was endearing how the usual spiel of ‘Hi, what can I get you?’ or a similar phrase shifted once he realized it was Harley. 

“And thus he returns on his quest for coffee,” Peter said in a fake narrator voice and Harley laughed. “Not just coffee,” he promised and patted his bag. “I have some code to show you… if you have time,” he added as an afterthought because Peter was obviously working. Preventing him from doing his job and having him get yelled at by his boss was not what Harley had in mind. Then again, Peter was currently alone so the question was if there even was anyone who could take over for a while. Surely there must be, Peter said he took a break after all and it wasn’t like the café would be closed for that time, right?

Peter’s eyes drifted towards the screen of the register, checking the time and humming. He then glanced around the café and outside in an assessment of his current workload before focusing back onto Harley. “Lucky you got the perfect time slot,” he said and Harley felt stupidly proud of himself. “Lucky me,” he echoed earnestly because he was looking forward to exchanging a few more phrases with Peter than those at the counter. Besides, Peter wanting to spend time with him and even taking a break from work to listen to Harley explaining some of his code must be a good sign. Right?

“Can I get you anything before that?” Peter asked. “We have some new doughnuts on trial.”

“Oh?” Say doughnuts and Harley was immediately interested. He bent down to take a closer look at the displayed pastries behind the glass. “Which ones?”

“Mu Cephei and Antares.”

“What’s with those names?” Harley asked, feeling a little lost because he was used to ‘Nutella Doughnut’ and ‘Strawberry Glaze’ but not this. He got the fairy dust and everything but those names were more than foreign to him.

Peter snickered and closed the dishwasher with his hip. “Told you already, it’s a scheme to get the Instagram models.”

“And who picks these names?” Harley asked. “Because I have never in my entire life heard those. Does someone make them up?”

Peter smiled softly. “Well, they are kind of made up but so are all names I guess.”

Harley gave him a look that said ‘alright, and now the whole story, Mr. Philosopher’.

Peter shrugged and leaned on the counter. “I picked those actually. Mu Cephei is a red supergiant in the Cepheus constellation and Antares is the brightest one in the Scorpion constellation.”

Harley took a moment to process the information, eyebrows furrowed in thought. Red supergiant? Constellation? “Stars?” he then asked, one eyebrow raised and Peter smiled. “You named your pastries after stars?”

He received yet another shrug. “I like stars,” Peter said as an explanation. “And the names are cool. Besides Mu Cephei is one of the biggest stars ever discovered and both it and Antares are bright enough so see with the naked eye… Not in the middle of New York, obviously, but still.” Peter shook his head almost in disappointment. “Also, Mu Cephei is close to dying and might turn into a Wolf-Rayet star before turning into a black hole. If it does turn into a Wolf-Rayet star it’ll get a nebula and that’s when things get really cool. It has a massive trail already and is losing more of its mass to that every year. On top of that it’s part of the VV Cephei binary star system and the blue star in the system absorbs mass from Mu Cephei and their eclipse is one of the longest we have ever discordered. The VV Cephei system is about as interesting as it gets in regards to stars. There is just constantly so much cool stuff going on and there are even more red supergiants close by. It’s was the largest cluster for a long time.” Peter’s eyes were almost sparkling throughout the whole rant. He then deflated once he realized he had just rambled for a long minute there while Harley stared at him and tried to follow. “Sor-”

“Nah!” Harley was quick to interject, eyes wide and finger pointed at Peter in warning. The latter snapped his mouth shut in surprise at the sudden exclamation. “In this household we do not apologize for ranting about our passions.”

Peter blinked twice, taking the statement in before his soft smile returned to his face and his posture relaxed. Having his own words thrown back at him was a reminder to follow his own advice.

“I gotta say though, I don’t really know anything about stars,” Harley admitted sheepishly. “But what you just said does sound hella cool.”

Peter grinned proudly.

“For that alone I think I have to try the…” Harley glanced down at the display again. “The Mu Cephei.” The name was foreign on his tongue but he had to agree that it sounded pretty cool. Especially when Peter said it. Harley could imagine having him as an professor who just drew his students in with his own passion about the subject.

“One Mu Cephei and a vanilla/caramel coffee with almond milk?” Peter phrased the last part as a question and Harley nodded in confirmation. Peter hummed and typed everything into the register. They exchanged money, Harley didn’t have a Jackson so he slipped a Grant into the tip jar once Peter’s back was turned. He hoped Peter hadn’t connected the massive tips to him yet. He didn’t know how often the jar was checked but there were a bunch of coins and two Jacksons in there so apparently not every day or even week. At least he assumed the Jackson’s were his. He didn’t know anyone else who’d tip a barista with double the amount of what their order was. Or he’d have to worry about another billionaire's son trying to woo Peter.

“So, what’s Mu Cephei made of?” Harley asked. “The doughnut,” he added with a grin as Peter looked at him as if to say ‘I knew you weren’t asking about the star, idiot’. He was sure Peter could have told him the composition of the star as well if he had asked.

“Just a normal donut with strawberry jam filling.”

“Because Mu Cephei is a red giant.”

“Supergiant or hypergiant but yeah.” Peter turned around with the finished coffee and grabbed a plate. “That’s the idea.”

“And Antares?”

“Gooseberry jam.”

Harley pondered on that far a while. He tried to see a connection between those two but came up empty-handed. Peter glanced up when he didn’t get a reaction and saw the half thoughtful, half confused look on Harley’s face and decided to help him out. “Gooseberries have those spikes, right?” He made a pointy motions with his fingers but didn’t wait for an answer. “Spikes and Scorpion constellation. Scorpions have that stinger. Stinger, spikes,” Peter shrugged. “Thought it was fitting.”

Harley snickered. “Now, that’s pretty far fetched.”

Peter grinned. “I know but Antares sounds cool.”

Harley chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah okay, I have to agree.”

Peter pushed the finished tablet in his direction. “You can go sit down, I’ll be back in a sec and then you can explain your code to me.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Harley said and took his tablet. The café wasn’t too busy but there were quite a lot of students sitting at the small tables or along the bench on the opposite wall of the counter with their laptops and tablets. Most had a cup and an empty plate on their table, now only buried in their work. Harley guessed he wasn’t the only one who valued the calming atmosphere and the free wifi at the café. He wondered if this was another trick to get people to stay here. There were mostly walk-ins who were off again after receiving their orders. It was similar to how Starbucks operated. The whole free wifi and sockets was mostly to get those college kids and business people to sit down while they worked and order things to keep them going. Some of those people stayed for hours and the only reason why Starbucks could afford this was because they had so many walk-ins. Other cafés had no free wifi on purpose to prevent people from sticking around too long and blocking tables. 

Anyway, Harley found one he liked further to the back and sat down. He took a trial bite from the doughnut but had to take another to actually reach the strawberry jam. It was not revolutionary, he’s had something like this before, but it was still nice. The jam tasted like actual strawberries and not like the fake yoghurt did. Sadly the doughnut was gone after a few bites so he only had his coffee to nurse. He held it up close to his face, took a sip and then looked over the rim towards the counter. Peter was in a corner with a barely opened door, taking off his apron. No one else was at the counter yet but surely someone would show up soon. Peter disappeared through the door and reappeared a minute later with a lunchbox and picked up a steaming cup of tea. The string of the teabag gave him away as well as the fact that Harley vividly remembered him accusing Peter of being British because of his tea preference. 

“Took your break?” Harley asked as Peter flopped down into the chair next to him with a chipper ‘yup’. He was wearing a maroon sweater and a pair of blue jeans with a few rips in them. Once again a rather comfy look.

“Now you can have my attention for about - ” Peter pulled out his phone. The screen had a small crack running through the lower right corner and there was a sticker of a blue alpaca on the back of the black case. His background was a swirling galaxy. Harley assumed he could probably say exactly which one it was. “50 minutes because I need ten to find my inner zen again before getting back into it.”

Harley almost choked on the sip of coffee he was taking but managed to refrain from suffocating. “Legit,” he managed to wheeze after almost dying. “Someone taking over for you or is it self-service for the next hour?”

“My aunt,” Peter said as he opened his lunch box. It had two compartments stacked on top of each other. The first stored an cut-up apple and a bunch of grapes which he sat aside for later. The lower one had a portion of pasta and some cucumbers and carrots with a dip in a small container. Harley hadn’t expected such a healthy meal and had to admit he was impressed. “She’s usually in the back or in the kitchen but she takes over for my break and in sometimes in the evening.”

“Oh.” Harley raised his brows. He hadn’t known Peter worked for his aunt. There hadn’t really been any way for him to know but he was still surprised. Maybe that is why Peter seemed so at ease at his job and why he was allowed to name a strawberry jam filled doughnut Mu Cephei. “She owns it?” he asked just to clarify. 

Peter hummed and pulled out a fork from somewhere, stabbing some of the noodles in his lunch box. “Took over after my uncle passed away. He started with the idea but then met my aunt and they ran it together. Didn’t know if she should or could continue afterwards but decided she didn’t want to give it away.” Peter munched on the first bite of his lunch. “M’ glad she kept it,” he said without really opening his mouth and then swallowed. “Told her she shouldn’t give it away but I was fourteen then and couldn’t really help out much.”

Harley nodded his head slowly. He didn’t want to bring too much attention to Peter’s uncle’s passing. Maybe it was wrong but her personally didn’t like when people said ‘I'm sorry’ whenever they learned about a family member’s death that was already long in the past. “How long have you been working here?”

“Started when I was sixteen but just a bit after school. Full time since I was eighteen so over a year now,” Peter said and stabbed the next portion of noodles. “Took some weight and hassle with hiring new people off her shoulders.”

Just as he said this the quite well-concealed door in the corner opened and out stepped a woman with beautiful hair. It was hard to define her age because she looked young yet mature at the same time. She looked like the kind of woman men would try to flirt with but she’d have no problem standing her ground and shooting them down with an almost condescending smile. Her long brown hair was quickly pulled up into a ponytail as she stepped up behind the counter so it wouldn’t fall into her face. She scanned everything with a sweep of her eyes to see if anything was out of order or needed her attention. Apparently she found something because she was busy restocking only a few moments later. 

“That all sounds pretty rough,” Harley said once he wasn’t distracted by seeing Peter’s aunt for the first time anymore. 

Peter shrugged and inclined his head. “Took some time.”

And that was that. Harley could be sensible and not talk about family issues. He knew more than enough about those and understood not wanting to share your entire life story with someone. He took another sip of his coffee. “So, I brought my laptop,” he said and Peter hummed around his mouthful of pasta. He scooted a bit closer with his chair and picked up the lower compartment of his lunch box to make some space on the table. Harley got his laptop out of his bag and within two seconds and a fingerprint scan he was opening up the file. 

Now, his laptop was no the usual one off the rack. It was filled with customizations and couldn’t be replicated anywhere. Friday was installed on it as well as holographic projections and a ton of other fun stuff. Friday was currently muted however and the fancy things were kept away as well. The interface did look a bit different from the standard programming interfaces but only because Harley liked customizing his things and playing around. Peter took a long look at the unusual interface but didn’t seem to mind it. 

“Alright,” he said. “Fill me in.”

And Harley started talking. He was pretty chatty as it was, give him something he was passionate about and could work on himself and he was set to go on a long explanatory rant. He just loved explaining his ideas in vivid detail. The only problem was his inability to fully phrase out everything since he lost his concept of words easily so he used a lot of words that didn’t make any sense. They made sense to him in the context of his code but to other people it was nothing but gibberish. His dad did understand him most of the time and it seemed like Peter was able to somewhat follow him as well. He did ask for clarification every now and then but overall his expression was not overly confused or pinched. He sometimes needed a bit to get a specific line but he mostly listened to Harley and his explanations instead of really reading what was shown on the screen.

“For someone who said they were slow with code you’re getting this faster than most other people,” Harley said after about thirty minutes of discussing his code. He wasn’t completely finished with the program yet but the goal was in sight. These things took time to get right after all and he was never one to rush himself with the development if he could help it.

“You’re just explaining it well,” Peter said, having finished his pasta and veggies and was now munching on his apple. He offered Harley a slice who considered whether it was rude to eat Peter’s lunch. Then again, Peter wouldn’t have offered if had he minded so he took one with a grateful ‘thanks’. “When you’re explaining it well then it makes sense.”

“But only when you get how coding works in general,” Harley objected. This was crucial to get why code worked the way it did. Teaching a computer how to do something was not the same as teaching another human being. “Trying to explain to someone that you have to define variables exactly and tell the computer a roundabout way of calculating because the initial approach is not something a system can calculate can be a little challenging.”

“‘Why don’t you just tell it to subtract this from that?’” Peter mimicked someone asking in a high pitched, condescending tone. “Because, Karen,” he said in his own voice. “You have to define this and that and tell the computer where to put the result and give it a name so it can access it again.”

“Thank you!” Harley groaned, hands extended outwards and then gesturing towards Peter. “That’s exactly what I’m always saying. The computer doesn’t know what you want to subtract unless you tell it exactly what it is and then you have to systematically safe it in spaces that are individual to each calculation and then know how to access them again. And then do the whole thing for a continuously running code that can override itself.”

Peter hummed. “It’s not as easy as subtracting this from that.”

“If it were that easy we’d be on Mars already and planting space tomatoes,” Harley said with a huff and Peter snickered. 

“But Karen doesn’t know that.”

“Yeah, because Karen thinks the moon landing was fake and the earth is actually flat. She knows that Mars is just another lie from the government.”

“Karen is a true intellectual after all.”

“And we all have a Karen in our life.”

Peter laughed and shook his head. “Whatever Karen was in my life, I’m pretty sure I got rid of her.”

“I have too many Karens in my life, you can have some of those,” Harley sighed with a tired wave of his hand. “But at least my dad and most of his colleagues get it.”

“What’s your dad’s job?”

Harley thought hard for a moment but the words came out of his mouth before he could consider for too long. That would have been a bit suspicious. “Engineer, mostly. He does things all over the place to be honest. I think even he can’t really say what exactly it is he does. He usually just calls it inventing and tinkering.” Well and flying around in a suit not made of iron but who needed to know that?

“Well, half of inventing is clueless tinkering in most cases I think,” Peter said with a soft laugh. 

Thinking back to the many times his dad had come up with some awesome new invention only to have it blow up in his face or completely fall apart the moment he tried to run a simulation, Harley couldn’t hide his own smile. “True.” His own attempts were not much different. Just that his code thankfully couldn’t explode but he had implemented some strange bugs into Friday accidentally that had only revealed themselves days later. Like that one time where she had constantly said goodbye whenever someone passed through a doorway. That had been rather annoying.

“I gotta say though,” Peter said after finishing his last slice of apple, “you have to tell me if it actually works.” He pointed towards the screen of Harley’s computer. “Not that I am underestimating your abilities but I’ve heard enough from my friend to know you can run it five hundred times successfully and then you implement it into the existing program and suddenly nothing works anymore.”

Harley sighed. “Yeah, common occurrence. I am hopeful that it’ll work but surprises can always happen. I’ll keep you updated,” he promised and Peter smiled. He munched on the grapes and within a minute those were gone as well. 

The café had gotten a bit busier within the last forty-five minutes and there was a small cue of mostly students waiting to order. Harley guessed this was because a bunch of lectures had just ended or because it was lunch time and the students craved caffeine and sweetness. Some looked ready to get to bed with their sleepy eyes and barely concealed yawns. Must be those who had 8am lectures. Poor souls. Harley was barely functional before 9am at the earliest. He’d rather clean the bathroom than get up at seven in the fucking morning to go to university. Especially in the winter. Disgusting. 

A frazzled-looking mom with two young kids entered the café, the boy and girl both complaining they were hungry and tugging on their mom’s coat. She tried her best to calm them down with promises of pastries but they’d have to wait just five more minutes. The girl shrieked and proceeded to hit her brother who then pulled on her hair. The mom closed her eyes for a second, trying to find an inch of patience before pulling her kids apart gently and lecturing them on violent behavior. A young woman with a black pixie cut, rather extravagant makeup and and bright pink earrings turned around to the kids and started talking to them. They were so entranced by either her appearance or what she said that they both stopped attacking each other and the mom had the most grateful look on her face, silently thanking her savior for distracting her children from their disturbing hunger. 

“Peter?” a voice from the counter called and Harley looked over. It was Peter’s aunt who sent her nephew a pleading look. Without saying more she turned back to her current customer with a smile but she did look a bit stressed with so many customers piling up and her being alone. Maybe it was just a fluke then. Perhaps this rush usually came later.

“Duty calls,” Peter sighed but didn’t sound upset. He stacked the compartments of his lunch box on top of each other and snapped the lid on to keep everything together. 

“Sorry you didn’t have your ten minutes to zen,” Harley said and Peter snorted. “When you do work like this you’re like the Hulk; you’re constantly zenning, you just don’t see me do it,” he said with a smirk and Harley laughed. The image of Bruce sitting on a pillow with his legs crossed and trying to find his inner peace was just too absurd. “I dunno if the Hulk understands the concept of zenning but I guess you’re right.”

Peter hummed and stood up. “Good luck with the rest of your code,” he pointed towards the laptop, “keep me posted.”

“Will do.” Harley gave a thumbs up. “Oh and Peter?”

“Hm?” Peter turned back around to him.

“Did I ever tell you my name?”

Peter paused to think, his eyes trailing off. It took a moment and then he shook his head. “If you did I forgot which I’d be terribly sorry about but it happens a lot so… go for it.”

Harley snickered. “It’s Harley.”

Peter mouthed the name in an attempt to ingrain it in his head. “This is gonna sound stupid but write it down for me, yeah? I can remember your coffee order but I suck at names so if you don’t want to be reduced to ‘vanilla/caramel with almond milk’ I suggest you write it down.” He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, that has nothing to do with me not deeming your worth remembering but I just really,  _ really _ suck at names.”

“No sweat,” Harley said easily. He got it, he hated names as well. “I’ll write it down for ya and leave it on the counter.”

“Awesome, thanks.”

“And now go save your aunt, poor woman is gonna get run over.”

“She’s though,” Peter said with a laugh but turned to leave with one last sweet smile. “Bye Harley.”

And this was the moment Harley decided he loved how Peter said his name.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please welcome Ned and MJ to the story! *jazz hands*  
> Also longest chapter until now.

It had been raining the entire day and if Harley had not needed to go out to pick up a delivery of custom made screws he would have stayed inside until it stopped raining. Too bad he really needed those screws… and screw the delivery person for not finding the most iconic building in all of New York.  _ Your address could not be found _ . Bullshit. It had probably been the last delivery and seeing where it needed to go the person had decided it wasn’t worth the hassle. Stupid. Why did he even bother with normal delivery? Why not have a drone deliver it straight to his lab? Apparently it was because he never did anything straight.

Harley grumbled under his breath, angling his umbrella to shield himself from most of the rain. Utterly disgusting. Who had invented this shit? Water from the sky. Wasn’t a shower enough already? Urgh. 

His sneakers were pretty much soaked and although it wasn’t exactly cold since it was mid May it was still uncomfortable. Some poor souls were completely drenched since they didn’t have an umbrella or hadn’t bothered to take it out. Why anyone would want to run around the city completely wet was beyond Harley but New York housed a lot of strange people so he had learned to stop asking. Sirens wailed about one block away, the rain continued pouring and the lights of the cars reflected on the street. A mother clutching her son’s wrist pushed past Harley hurriedly, her umbrella knocking into his. Someone’s honk blared with barely concealed annoyance. 

New York, baby. 

Harley huffed. His feet were wet, rain was starting to soak into his clothes and the newly acquired screws didn’t help to improve his mood. He stopped at an familiar intersection and lifted his umbrella to see the opposite walkway. The light was red but some people still pushed past him to cross the road. Harley glanced down the block to his right and his stomach gurgled. Down there was a rather familiar café. He could just walk down the street and get some food and a hot coffee, rest his feet for a bit and maybe even dry a little before going out into the downpour again. Had it been any other café he surely wouldn’t have considered it. He wanted to get home, dry off and fiddle with his new screws but this wasn’t just any café. This café had a very charming Peter he might get to chat with. He hadn’t been over for a little over a week now and he kind of missed it. He hadn’t really had a café he frequented before but it was nice.

The light turned green and the swarm of human beings set into motion. Someone bumped into Harley and grunted which could count as a sound of apology or a sound of displeasure. Knowing New Yorkers it was more likely to be the latter. Harley stared at the light for two more seconds before he changed his course and turned to the right. There were fewer people on this road which was a blessing, especially because of all the umbrellas. The sign for ‘Parker - Bakery and Pastry’ was glowing brightly in the gloomy afternoon like a beacon of hope, promising warmth and nourishment. Two things Harley desperately needed. Though the company was still what actually convinced him to go.

The jingle of the bell from above the door was part of the whole experience by now and it was not as cheesy - or silly - as Harley had originally thought. He dropped his umbrella in a designated stand next to the door and shook out his hair which was thankfully still dry. His sneakers were not as lucky. They squeaked and left wet footprints on the floor.

There were barely any people in the café - only a few lonely souls - most having stayed home or not wanting to walk around more than they needed to. Even for a promising cup of coffee and some pastries. There were, however, two people sitting in the barstools at the right corner of the counter and talking to Peter. So Harley wasn’t the only one who did this. Though it didn’t look like any of those two were trying to flirt with Peter which was a small blessing. 

All of them turned in his direction after hearing the bell and Peter grinned widely. Every time Harley saw him the weird fluffy feeling in his chest intensified. It was as if he tried to convince himself Peter was not as special as his brain made him out to be but every time he visited he was proven wrong. Peter was not ordinary in the least, he was as special as one could be and seeing him alone made Harley feed giddy. 

“Even with rain he can’t resist the allure of coffee,” Peter said teasingly, eyes flitting down to Harley’s soaked sneakers and slightly drench pants with a sympathetic look.

“I’m an addict and I’m not hiding that fact,” Harley shot back and Peter laughed. 

“Same?” was all he asked, already grabbing a cup and Harley hummed in confirmation. He didn’t know if Peter actually remembered everyone’s order or if he was an exception but he still liked assuming he was an exception. Peter had said he was good at remembering coffee orders but surely he wouldn't remember everyone’s, right? Besides, Harley was kind of a regular by now, wasn’t he? This is what baristats did with their regulars, right? Remembering their order to make them feel more welcome and show their appreciation. Harley hoped it wasn’t just a marketing scheme though. At least not in his case. He wanted to be an exception to the other customers who came in.

He looked down at the display of pastries, noting that it was not as empty as he would have expected so late in the afternoon. Perhaps because of the rain but a bunch of New Yorkers seemed to enjoy the free outdoor shower anyway. “Is Antares still on the menu?” It hadn’t been there last time he had dropped by and now it was missing as well. Harley had wanted to try it but usually couldn’t resist the allure of other pastries.

Peter looked happy about Harley remembering for about one second but then pouted while he added vanilla and caramel to the cup. “No,” he grumbled. “Gooseberry doesn’t go well enough so May vetoed it. Mu Cephei is still going though. I get a kick out of people mispronouncing it every day,” Peter said with a smirk as the coffee machine came to life.

“Well, it’s not really a common name.”

“No but it’s cool.”

Harley could not argue with that logic. “Are you gonna name your first child that?”

Peter laughed. “I’ll name my first cat that and his wife will be called Omega Centauri and their first kitten will be Fimbulthul.”

Harley stared at Peter for a long moment, silently asking for an explanation. There had to be one because Peter had that knowing look on his face. If Harley had to guess he’d assume it had something to do with stars but he still wanted to know. He barely knew anything about stars but when Peter talked about it he just got drawn into it. It was the same as listening to someone explain their research to him. If one was passionate about their interest then Harley would be happy to listen. Especially about something as complex as stars. Just because didn’t know much didn’t mean it wasn’t interesting. 

Peter smiled widely, giving in without being prompted verbally. “Omega Centauri is the largest cluster of stars in our galaxy.” Aha so Harley had been right. He smiled to himself and continued listening as Peter gestured to underline his words, eyes shining brightly. “It’s like 150 light years across and because it’s that huge it was probably the core of a dwarf galaxy. Now it’s part of the Milky Way, probably because of some collision a long time ago. It leaves a trail of stars which is called Fimbulthul. There are several other trails, most of them because of defunct dwarf galaxies so the theory is pretty solid.” Peter shrugged and pulled the cup of steaming coffee out from under the machine. “I’m not settled on the names for the other kittens yet. There should be more than one in a litter.”

“Well, you could just stick to the trail names,” Harley said as he fished out his wallet. “Can I have a Mu Cephei as well?”

“I could,” Peter mused, bending down to pick up a strawberry-filled doughnut and place it onto a plate. Harley usually went for a Mu Cephei so this was no surprise. “I could go with Styx to stick with ancient mythology names for rivers.”

Harley blinked a few times to process and then shook his head. “I’m gonna be honest and say that this is getting too complicated for me.” He handed over a Grant. Maybe he should start taking smaller notes to the café but then it would be more difficult to leave a Jackson as a tip. That was already a small note for him and one he barely carried around. He usually paid with card anyway or told people to put it on the tab. “Mu Cephei and the Omega one I can get behind but the Fimballa one and the other thing might be a bit of a stretch.”

“Fimbulthul.”

“Bless you.”

Peter smiled bemusedly. “As long as you don’t name your cats Array and <=0.” He raised one brow over the rim of his glasses challengingly.

Harley smirked. “I’d get a dog and name him Java.”

Peter tried to hide his snicker but wasn’t very successful.

“I’m going to interrupt your talk right there and question what exactly I am witnessing?” the girl to the right asked with a frown, pointing between the two of them. Her hair underlined her expression perfectly because it was a wild collection of curls, half pinned back carelessly so she could at least see properly. She wore a black hoodie with white lines displaying a tiger. Around her wrist was a collection of colorful bands, some braided, some having a leather-look to them. 

“You see,” the guy next to her piped up, wicked smile on his face and his hands outlining each step. “When two nerds meet there is this mutual understanding and following that is a conversion of-”

She held up her hand and stopped him, her nails trimmed perfectly which was a contrast to her wild hair. “I did not ask about your mating rituals, thanks.”

The other guy snickered but decided to spare her from the rest of his explanation. He had a big physique and a kind face. If Harley had to guess he’d say he was of south east asian descent. The shirt underneath his sweatshirt jacket displayed the letters ‘USBEE’ and the faded image of a bee. Harley had to keep himself from snorting at the pun. He found this guy charming already. There was a book next to him that he hopefully did not need to take out into the rain as it was. Harley read ‘C++’ on the spine and immediately made the connection. This guy must be into programming as well and must have caught the Java joke. Perhaps he was the same one Peter had mentioned a few times before.

“Harley,” Peter said and Harley almost vibrated straight out of his soggy shoes and into the ceiling. He had not expected Peter to say his name but to say he wasn’t delighted would be a liet. Maybe he should have gotten used to Peter saying his name by now, it had been a while already after all, but Harley was sure he’d never be able to get used to it. “Those are my friends Michelle and Ned.” Peter gestured towards the two. Ned waved at him with a smile while Michelle just stared blankly. “Guys, that’s Harley.” Peter gestured back to Harley. “Now you’ve met.”

“Oh, so  _ that’s  _ Harley,” Michelle said, eyeing him up and down. Harley felt uncomfortably naked but managed a smile because those were Peter’s friends and he really had to leave a good first impression. He was trying to get their friend to go on a date with him after all.

Wait.

Is that what he was doing?

_ Don’t be stupid Harley, that’s exactly what you’ve been doing with the exception of asking for said date _ . 

“Hi,” Harley said and waved lamely like the idiot he was, trying to ignore his inner turmoil. “Didn’t know I was interrupting your meetup, sorry.”

Peter scoffed hard. “Oh please, the only reason they hang around here is to blackmail me into making them coffee at a discount.”

“What?” Ned asked in complete fake horror, eyes wide with hurt. “We? No! Never.” Peter sent him a look but his friend just smiled sweetly. He kind of reminded Harley of a teddy bear.

Michelle inclined her head towards Harley’s coffee. “Lactose intollerant?”

It took Harley a moment to catch on and realize Michelle did not have freaky telepathic powers but had obviously seen Peter use the almond milk instead of the regular one. “Oh, I… yeah.”

She nodded grimly. “One more of us again the spawn of the devil.”

“She’s talking about cows,” Ned clarified.

“Can you guys stop being weird for a moment?” Peter pleaded with an exasperated expression. He didn’t exactly look surprised though. Harley guessed this was a common occurrence or at least a pretty normal conversation to take place between them.

“Stop pretending Peter, you’re just as weird as we are,” Michelle said without care, ignoring Peter’s offended gasp. She had just confirmed Harley’s hunch and he couldn’t keep his grin hidden.

“I’m gonna tell May you’re leeching off of her,” Peter threatened with not even an inch of seriousness in his voice. Must also be a common occurrence.

Michelle snorted. “Bullshit, May loves me.”

“That she does,” Ned chirped while sipping on his own coffee.

Peter scoffed in disbelief. “The audacity,” he muttered under his breath before turning towards Harley with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about them.” He gestured towards his friends. “They are usually less…” He waved his hand because there was no way to describe this apparently. Harley thought this was rather amusing before Michelle opened her mouth again. “Don’t kid yourself, we’re always like this and if Harley-boy can’t deal with that he’s not the right one for you.”

Peter’s resulting high-pitched squawk should have been recorded because the noise was downright inhuman and needed to be documented as humanity’s latest achievement. He grabbed the first best thing, which was a small package of sugar, and threw it at Michelle’s head who just continued sipping her coffee nonchalantly as it bounced off her curly hair. Ned snorted into his own coffee loudly and tried not to choke. Harley was trying to process what he had just heard, eyes wide and mouth probably open. He must look like an idiot which was sadly also a rather common occurrence around Peter.

“I will literally murder you,” Peter seethed and Michelle smirked at him.

Harley looked back and forth between them unsurely, not quite understanding what was going on. His brain might be a well-functioning computer most of the time but right now it was only spitting out error messages at an alarming speed. Ned stared into his coffee pointedly while trying not to laugh, Michelle looked smug as fuck, Peter looked like he tried to become one with the floor and Harley desperately needed some more information to process this. 

“So…” he said slowly but Peter held up his hand to stop him. 

“Gimme a minute, I’m zenning and trying to pretend that didn’t just happen.”

Harley snapped his mouth shut and stared at Peter who was still looking at the floor pointly with a pinched expression. Michelle took a loud slurp from her coffee and blinked at Harley innocently over the rim of her cup. She knew exactly what she was doing.

“I mean,” Harley tried again slowly, absolutely not knowing what he was doing, but he didn’t really know what to say either. There were no words to be found in his brain, just panicked screeching and error messages.

“Is this part of the mating ritual?” Michelle asked Ned off-handedly and Ned snorted into his coffee again. It took him a moment to recover but then he nodded his head almost sadly. “Only the gay ones.”

Peter made a strangled noise and disappeared behind the counter. “I fucking hate all of you!” came his voice from the hidden space underneath and then a beat later, “except Harley.”

Harley was sure he was floating up to the ceiling. Even his soggy shoes couldn’t keep him on the ground anymore. It had been a great decision to come here.

“Oh,” Michelle crooned, “would you look at that.”

“Shut up, you’re scaring him away,” Peter’s hiss come from the void.

“I’m making sure he knows what he’s gettin’ into.”

“You don’t even knows if he wants anything!”

“Oh honey,” Michelle said and raised her brows like she had seen more of the world than anyone else. “I have been observing you two and allow me to say the gay tension between you is rather high so either Harley-boy is just as gay for you as you are for him or he is seriously dense and doesn’t know what flirting is which looking at him-” she twisted to eye Harley sharply which made him jump, “he knows exactly what he’s doing and he’s hoping to succeed.”

This time it was Harley’s turn to splutter. Trust his computer to fail him now out of all times. Wasn’t too surprising when he was around Peter though. It took him a moment of fumbling unintelligently before he could get anything out. “Well,” he stuttered, “you’re… not wrong with that assessment.”

Michelle wiggled her eyebrows in victory.

It was silent until Peter’s meek voice came from underneath the counter. “Ned?”

Ned sat down his coffee and leaned forward, probably to look at his friend from where he was and smiled softly, almost like he was coaxing a skittish animal out from its hiding place. “Come on, he seems nice.”

Some grumbling could be heard and then shuffling. Peter reappeared slowly, looking at Harley carefully who did his best to smile encouragingly while his brain was still reeling. Peter was obviously flustered, avoiding eye contact pointedly and fiddling with his apron once he had straightened up again. By some chance of fate they were spared the embarrassing and quite frankly awkward silence spreading between them by no other than Peter’s aunt. 

“Peter, can you come here for a second?” May called from the backroom and Peter’s eyes flitted back and forth between his friends, Harley and the door almost nervously before he sighed. “Yeah, coming,” he called and slipped away. Not before sending another pointed look in Michelle’s direction though.

Harley didn’t know what he had expected but it certainly hadn’t been for Michelle to make 180° turn and look at him with a fierce glare. Suddenly the girl seemed incredibly scary and Harley did absolutely not want to get onto her bad side. He took a tiny cautious step back just to be safe.

“Listen,” she said cooly. Ned’s eyes widened a little in realization and he hurriedly turned his attention back to his coffee to let her take over the reins. “You let him rant about his stars without interrupting or ridiculing and he hasn’t apologized afterwards so you kind of passed that test  _ but _ …” Harley didn’t have time to feel proud of himself. He just shifted and swallowed nervously when Michelle kept going. “I swear, if I catch wind of you not taking this seriously or hurting Peter in any way I will find you and I will rip you to shreds.” She stared at him intently before smiling viciously sweet. “Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” Harley squeaked. It took him a moment to calm down from his almost heart attack. Is this how his dad felt when Harley had once again done something stupid? He did complain about having a heart condition after all. “Honestly though, I am serious,” he hurried to promise. Michelle’s expression didn’t change so Harley didn’t know if she actually believed him or not. “I’ve been trying to work up the courage to ask him out for like… weeks by now I think and I’m really scared of messing it up because Peter is hella cute.”

“Aww,” Ned cooed and looked up again. Harley kinda felt safer around him than he did around Michelle. Ned seemed kind and not scary. “He is pretty sweet,” Ned agreed with a nod. “So if you make him cry I’m going to help MJ hide the body once she’s done with you.”

Harley’s assessment had been wrong. Very wrong. Ned was just as fiercely protective of his friend as Michelle was and they would not stop at anything to protect Peter. Also, Harley assumed MJ was a nickname for Michelle but since she had been introduced to him as Michelle he would not copy that nickname.

“Have you done this intimidating thing before?” Harley asked nervously and gestured between them. “Because it’s really working.”

“Rarely in this sense,” Ned said honestly. “But Peter does have a habit of attracting bad attention.”

“I really just wanna ask him out,” Harley promised. “And if he doesn’t wanna I’m going to sulk in my closet but I’ll live… eventually.”

“Geez, the gays and their dramatics,” Michelle muttered, dialing her intimidating stare back down to something more pleasant. Harley counted this as a good development.

“You’re a lesbian,” Ned said off-handedly.

“Yeah but girls are a lot easier than whatever this is.” Michelle gestured towards Harley without actually looking.

Ned shook his head and turned back to Harley who was still looking very lost. “Listen,” he said, kind smile back on his face. “We wanted to go see a movie after this. Maybe grab some dinner afterwards. Why don’t you tag along if you want to? Then you can ask Pete out on a date when he’s not working. Or slip him your number or something. I don’t know what the plan was.”

There was no plan if Harley was being honest. Just a lot of panicking and short-circuiting in his poor computer-brain. He should have come up with a plan, not just visit the café for all of eternity and hope something would happen eventually. Asking Peter out while he was on the clock at his job might really not be the best idea. It would put him on the spot in an environment where he might not allow himself to be honest and that’s the absolute last thing Harley wanted. Sure, he’d be very sad and feel quite dejected if Peter rejected him but he’d act like the grown up he was supposed to be an accept it. Though he’d sulk in his closet for sure.

Harley did have some hope though because Peter had invited him to spend his break with him before and they had shared a lot of things already. Not just that but Peter had always hinted at there being a next time as well. It was safe to assume Harley’s presence wasn’t all bad to him. 

“Would… would that be okay?” Harley asked unsurely. These three had plans after all, he didn’t want to crash that. “I mean, I don’t want to impose on your plans or anything.”

“Oh don’t worry,” Ned said and waved his hand dismissively. “Peter talked about you, he said you’re nice, you’re into science and that you’re coding. That’s a lot of good points in my book. Besides, Peter likes you and this way we get to know you as well and you get a chance to ask the big question.”

“Star Wars or Star Trek?” Michelle joked before turning serious again. “Look, just come along. It’ll be fun. Or do you have places to be?”

Harley thought about the custom screws in his bag for all of one second but quickly threw any plans about using them today out of the window. This was way, way more important than any screws could ever be. He shook his head in answer to her question and she seemed to genuinely smile this time. “Alright then, sit down. Peter’s shift is over in-” she checked her watch on her right wrist, void of any other bracelets, while patting the empty stool next to her. “Twenty minutes.”

Harley eyed the stool and then her somewhat suspicious. “You’re not going to stab me in between the ribs when I’m not looking, right?”

Michelle grinned wolfishly and wagged her spoon at him. “We’ll see.”

“Be nice,” Ned said with a laugh. Michelle just shrugged and dropped the spoon again. Harley grabbed his coffee and his Mu Cephei and slowly slid into the spot next to her. After a few moments of her not attacking him he allowed himself to relax and take a sip from his slowly cooling coffee. 

The bell above the door chimed as a new customer entered. It was a young businessman in a dark grey suit and brown shoes. His glasses had a few stray water droplets clinging to the lenses but his hair was still styled perfectly. Harley was secretly jealous. 

The door to the backroom opened and Peter stepped out backwards, still discussing something with his aunt but apparently trying to end the conversation quickly so he could check what his new customer might need. “Just… write me a list, or no- can you make an audio file?” Peter flapped his hands. “I’ll listen to it, promise.”

May said something that couldn’t be heard and her nephew smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” Peter closed the door then and resumed his usual customer-smile as he turned towards the businessman. “Hi, what can I get you?” It was the usual spiel of preparing a coffee to go along with putting some pastries in a bag. Harley wondered if this was for the man himself or perhaps his wife… or husband? It seemed like a lot of pastries for just one person.

It took Peter no longer than three minutes to get everything ready. The exchange of money was just as quick and soon the man was stepping out of the café, opening his black umbrella and hurrying through the rain. Peter pulled a face as soon as the door had fallen shut. “That poor wife he has at home.”

His friends all raised their eyebrows at him in a silent question. 

Peter waved his hand without looking, feeling their questioning stares. “So this guy always comes here when he fucked something up. He always orders the exact same thing and one time there was this woman who ordered that too and then she just looks at me and says ‘my husband buys this for me sometimes… usually when he has to apologize for something’ so yeah, whenever he orders that I’m assuming he fucked something up again and now feels like he has to apologize so he buys her pastries.”

“And the coffee?” Harley asked. 

“No, that’s his.”

“What a gentleman.”

Peter shrugged sadly. He then took a moment to look at the three of them all sitting together and smiled. Harley’s heart almost fluttered out of his chest and he tried hard to keep a normal expression and not suddenly do something stupid - like drool into his coffee for example. 

“Harley’s tagging along,” Ned chirped. Harley watched Peter’s expression closely for any negative shift but there was none. If anything his smile got a little wider. “Oh, that’s great! I don’t think we picked something already so we’ll just go and see what’s currently being shown. And then probably pizza afterwards.”

Harley smiled and nodded his head. “Sounds like a plan.”

Once it was 4:30 Peter made an assessing sweep with his eyes over his workspace but deemed it alright to pass it over to his aunt. “Just a sec,” he said and disappeared through the door. It didn’t take him long and when he stepped out again he left the door open. Peter had taken off the apron, now wearing a dark grey hoodie over his shirt. A backpack was slung over his shoulder and his jeans were rolled up a little, revealing his ankles. Harley stared for a moment before berating himself for acting like some victorian man who had just seen a lady’s ankles for the first time. Peter did have pretty ankles though so maybe he was allowed to be distracted by them.

“Alright, ready to go,” Peter said and together they left the café. It was still raining, thankfully not as hard as before, but still. Ned opened his umbrella and Michelle was quick to seek shelter underneath as well. Harley did the same with his own umbrella and beckoned Peter, who had just pulled up his hood over his head, over to squeeze in with him. For a moment Harley wasn’t sure if this was too forward but Peter sent him a grateful smile and squeezed in next to him.

Harley took a moment so he wouldn’t squeak in delight. Peter and him were pretty much the same height so he didn’t have to angle the umbrella in a specific way but he still made sure to keep it steady and not knock it into Peter’s head repeatedly. Harley’s shoes that had barely started drying were wet again within moments but for once he didn’t care. His socks were already wet anyway and it wasn’t like his feet were about to freeze off. Instead he was very aware of Peter’s close proximity and took notice of a faint smell of cologne or shampoo. He wasn’t sure but it smelled good and of course Peter would smell good. Harley wanted to bury his head in a bucket full of sand and scream just so he could concentrate properly. 

The rain kept to a bearable drizzle until they were at the cinema. Once they were in front of the counter they debated what movie to watch. Michelle was for some horror movie which Ned vetoed immediately with a pained grimace. “I wanna sleep tonight, thanks.”

So, keeping Ned’s peaceful sleep in mind, they settled for an action movie with an apparently rather generic plot. Harley didn’t care what movie they watched, he didn’t have much of a preference as long as it wasn’t a purely romantic tragedy. Then again, had Peter wanted to see one Harley might have just been swayed to go along with it.

Now they found themselves twenty minutes later in a rather empty theatre, Michelle munching on nachos, Ned sipping on a coke and Harley and Peter, as fate wanted it, seated next to each other and sharing a small bucket of popcorn. Harley tried hard not to stare at Peter the entire time while Michelle narrated throughout the all the adverts being shown and complained how stupid the perfume ones were. Had Harley not been so occupied he would have agreed with her wholeheartedly.

When the lights went out Harley’s and Peter’s hand brushed against each other occasionally when they were reaching for some popcorn and Harley swore each time electricity ran through his entire body. He just hoped there weren’t any sparks flying around because those would be hard to hide in a dark theatre. Thankfully Peter couldn’t see the expression on Harley’s face because he was sure it wasn’t exactly a relaxed one. 

To be completely honest, Harley wasn’t really focused on the movie. The plot was the same as that of at least sixteen other movies he had seen before just with a different woman as supposed eye candy for the male audience. Harley assumed Michelle to be the one who’d appreciate it the most out of the four of them if her happy humming and nacho-crunching was anything to go by whenever that woman appeared on screen. A wind turbine and an entire team of makeup artists seemed to follow the actress wherever she went according to her flawless look and billowing hair. Peter had jumped in his seat a few times when a bomb had blown up. Ned had groaned loudly when a generic hacking scene had been shown. “That’s not how it works,” he had complained and Harley had agreed.

According to the time they had been in the theatre for over two hours and it was dark outside when they left. Well, darker than before because the entire day had been rather dull.

“I don’t know who that woman was but she was hot,” Michelle declared after ducking under Ned’s umbrella. Of course the rain was still going strong. 

“I thought her high heels were bit unrealistic,” Harley objected and made sure to give Peter enough space under his umbrella. He didn’t want to be  _ that guy _ who let his date get rained on… this wasn’t even a date… Still Harley didn’t want Peter to be soaked though he’d gladly offer his own shoulder and shoes to the rain.

“I have never worn them but I wouldn’t if I were a spy on a mission,” Peter said.

“It’s the aesthetic.” Michelle rolled their eyes. “It’s not supposed to be logical. She’s just supposed to look hot.”

Peter and Harley shared a look and shrugged, mutually agreeing on not understanding this.

“High heels aside,” Ned said. “Should we go over to Joe’s? We could get the two pizza special.”

“Yes!” Peter shouted immediately and shuffled as if he was resisting the urge to jump up and down. “Let’s go!” He grabbed Harley’s arm and dragged him along down the street. “It’s right over there,” he said and pointed somewhere. “Do you know Joe’s? They have the best pizza.”

“I… don’t, no,” Harley admitted, still caught up in Peter’s genuine excitement. “But I’ll trust your wine cellar skills.”

Peter laughed. “Oh you’ll love it if you love pizza.”

Harley did love it. They ordered two pizzas which were huge and delicious. They shared among themselves, sipping on their drinks and exchanging stories. He got to know Peter’s friends some more and figured after only a short while that he really liked them. 

Ned was studying informatics while Michelle was pursuing a degree in creative writing. It suited both of them perfectly. They questioned Harley about his own life and he was careful to avoid talking about what he did in too much detail. Saying he worked with Tony Star on developing sustainable energy sources in his free time when he wasn’t taking online classes might be a bit much so he dialed it back and explained it as plainly as he could without seeming suspicious. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the three of them, he just didn’t want to jinx this developing friendship and especially not his chances with Peter. Besides, he rarely walked around and talked about his life openly. This was no exception.

It was after ten when they were preparing to leave. They had split the bill between the four of them and Ned had pulled Michelle aside to show her something which Harley knew was a lie because they were acting way too suspicious and Michelle had smirked at him. Slowly realizing they were giving him the perfect opportunity to ask Peter onto a date he grew a little nervous. 

“I’m glad you came along,” Peter said with a smile and Harley’s heart skipped a beat. He mirrored the other’s smile and nodded his head. “Yeah, I had fun and your friends are really nice.”

Peter chuckled. “You can admit to being scared of MJ, she’s like that when you get to know her.”

Harley laughed softly. “Yeah, a little, but she’s still nice.”

“Maybe you can come along again next time?” Peter asked hopefully and Harley realized this was his chance. 

“Yeah, sure,” he said before swallowing down his nerves and daring to ask what had been on his mind the past few weeks. The thing he hadn’t dared to say until now. “And uh… would you…” Shit, why was he suddenly so bad at talking? Peter looked at him curiously while Harley rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Being this nervous about something was new to him and he didn’t like how it turned his brain into useless mush. “Um… would you maybe want to… do something together?” That needed some clarification. “The two… of us… as like…” Harley was sweating and shuffling his feet anxiously. His heart was almost up in his throat. “A date… maybe?”

Peter blinked once, twice, before realization spread across his face and a shy but incredibly cute smile appeared. Harley’s heart fluttered. “Yeah I’d… like that,” Peter said softly and Harley’s heart settled back in his chest. 

“Oh thank fuck,” he breathed out quietly. He put a hand on his chest where his heart hopefully was. “I swear I was gonna melt.”

Peter laughed, his friends glancing over with knowing looks. “Looked a bit like it too,” he teased. “I was worried there for a second.”

“I was just worried you’d say no,” Harley admitted sheepishly. 

Peter shook his head quickly, smile still in place. “Nah, I’d love to go on a date with you.”

Harley felt that up to the tips of his hair and down into his soggy shoes. “That’s great, awesome… yeah.” He nodded his head, undoubtedly sporting a stupid grin. 

Peter held out his hand. “Gimme your phone.”

Harley did so without questions. Peter took it, a small surprised hum escaping him as he realized it was one of the newest Stark Phones. He didn’t comment on it further and typed in his number which Harley saw he had saved under ‘Peter’ and a star emoji.

“So… don’t just run off with that but send me a message, yeah?” Peter said as he handed it back and Harley nodded hurriedly, quickly typing ‘thanks for today’ and hitting send. He wasn’t sure where Peter kept his phone and if he had it on silent but he smiled nevertheless.

“Come on, love birds, it’s not raining for once,” Michelle called from the entrance and their little bubble was disrupted. They walked together for about five blocks before they had to part ways. Peter headed back towards the café while Ned and Michelle went back to their university dorms and Harley went home. A light drizzle picked up again but this time Harley didn’t bother with his umbrella. He let his clothes get soaked and his hair get wet while he skipped along the street. When he finally stumbled into his home his dad looked at him like he was an alien and asked if he had fallen into the Hudson.

Harley just grinned. “No, but I got a date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fimbulthul (norse) and Styx (greek) are both names for rivers in mythology as well as names for stellar streams in our galaxy.  
> I love things like these, hence the name of this story.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May and Pepper are the only functioning adults around.

Dating Peter was… surprisingly easy. Then again, maybe it shouldn’t come as such a surprise seeing as they had gotten along perfectly fine before as well. Talking came easily most of the time and sure, there were some awkward moments where they tried to figure out where dating stopped and _dating_ started. Kissing on the first date? Harley wanted to but then decided against it. He then wondered if that had been a stupid decision but it was too late to go back on it but he continued worrying about it. Instead they had just bid goodbye, both of them facepalming as soon as they had turned their backs and wanting to do better next time. 

Obviously there would be a next time. A second date was only logical for both of them. Not just a second but also a third and a forth and… after how many dates do you know what to make out of this whole thing? When do you start _dating_ and not just dating?

It was a question neither of them had an answer to. When Peter had asked with two closest friends there had been very different reactions. MJ had stared at him with this blank look, saying something along the lines of ‘just ask, dumbass’ which was a typical MJ response. She made everything seem so easy but Peter knew better. He had once witnessed MJ crushing on a girl and oh boy had that been a mess. MJ seemed like she had everything figured out until she came across a girl she actually really liked and then suddenly all that suave was lost to panicked babbling and eating ice cream. MJ had threatened to steal all of Peter’s DVDs if he ever told someone so he would take this knowledge with him to his grave. 

Ned had assured him he’d just magically know at some point and then they could take the next step. Peter didn’t actually believe him because it was never that easy. He then remembered it had been Betty who had asked Ned to be her boyfriend and suddenly felt Ned’s opinion wasn’t valid. He told his friend such which resulted in Ned sulking and watching the next Clone Wars episode without him.

Seeing as none of his friend were competent enough to give him actually helpful advice, Peter turned to the only human being who had actually everything figured out and was a real certified adult. 

“May?” he asked one evening after dinner. They always had dinner rather late because May was busy with the café. She locked up on most days after making sure everything was in order. Sometimes she stayed back to take care of paperwork or prepare everything for the next day. 

“Hm?” May asked absentmindedly. Her hands were in the sink, scrubbing a pan clean from burn residue. She did her best and she was a phenomenal baker but she didn’t have the same passion for cooking. Letting things get slightly burnt had somehow turned into a normality with her cooking. Peter didn’t mind, he was more grateful May still cooked even after all those long days. She was up early in the morning to bake where Peter would join her later. She then left to run errands, clean the house or catch up on sleep. Sometimes when she had the mind she’d go out for brunch of meet up with friends when they had a day off. She then came back shortly before Peter’s break, took over for him when no one else was around, and then worked on all the paperwork in the back. If her help was needed she’d join them out front or she’d take shifts when someone was sick. Baking and paperwork was already a lot to deal with though.

Peter knew how much work it was. Ben had always been the one to take care of all things legal, of all the papers and the finances. May had needed to take over after his passing and it had been a lot. Thankfully she had a friend who working in finances who had been able to help. Peter had never felt more helpless in his life than during this period. Ben’s death had hit him hard and May had been stressed to the max. Money had been very tight for about a year, leaving them struggling to even keep the café open. Most of the nights for several months after Ben’s funeral Peter had found his aunt crying when she thought no one would see her and he had been unable to do anything besides being there for her. 

It took a long time to get them somewhat stable again. May had run herself ragged for about a year before she had allowed herself to relax a little. Their finances had gotten better, they had four very devoted young students who helped them out as part time baristas and Peter had insisted on helping as well. 

Three of them had quit once they were done with their studies which had left them looking for new people. After one girl stealing money, one guy being rude to customers and another just being completely incompetent May had been reluctant about getting someone new. It was around this time Peter had finished high school and for him it was a no brainer to start working at the café full time. May had protested vehemently, saying Peter should continue going to school or look for another job where he’d get more money because May couldn’t pay him as much as she would like. Obviously Peter had refused and with him keeping an watchful eye on the café they had dared to employ two new people. They would surely need a fourth soon but that still had some time.

“How long did you date Ben before he asked you to be his girlfriend?” Peter asked, running a finger over the rim of his glass. 

May stopped her scrubbing and her gaze trailed off. Talking about Ben had become a lot easier. Sometimes the memories were still a little painful but… it was better to remember the good things rather than forcing yourself to bury everything. “Oh my,” May mumbled, “that was so long ago. I think it was after Ben had finished college.” She hummed thoughtfully. “We dated maybe… a few months? I remember there being a couple dates and stuff before he sprung the question.” She pulled the pan out of the discolored water and sat it on the drying rack. The towel next to her was picked up and she dried her hands while turning around to lean against the counter so she could look at her nephew. “Why do you ask?”

Peter sighed heavily and looked away. He had always talked to May about his troubles. She made it so easy to talk to her, even when she had been stressed and busy and grieving. He had told her about the horrific grades he had gotten on tests because he was unable to concentrate on school just two weeks after Ben’s death, crying and apologizing because he didn’t want to disappoint her. May had just pulled him into a hug, murmuring comforting words and promising Peter he could never ever disappoint her. May always been there for him and she was special. Although Peter didn’t call her ‘mom’ she held a very special place in his heart comparable to the one a mother would hold. 

“It’s just…” Peter played with his empty glass, “with Harley…”

May hummed, waiting for him to continue but Peter didn’t because he didn’t know what to say. “You like him,” May stated as a fact. Peter slid down in his chair and pursed his lips, wanting to deny it for whatever reason but then again he couldn’t. Because it was true. The thought alone made his face feel warm. May smiled knowingly. “Well, just ask him then.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Oh but I think it is.”

Peter looked at his aunt helplessly and she chuckled. “You’re a big boy, Pete. When you like someone you have to tell them. If Harley didn’t feel the same he wouldn’t come here every other day and stare at you the entire time.”

Peter spluttered scandalized. “He does not!”

“Uhu, he does.” May raised an amused eyebrow at him. “And I know you know this.”

Damn, his aunt really was too perceptive for her own good. Here was Peter thinking she didn’t know how deep he already was in this… this thing but obviously she did. Peter groaned into his hands. “I can’t just ask him ‘Hey, wanna be my boyfriend?’.”

May laughed. “I think that’s how it usually goes. My last boyfriend was a while ago but I think it’s the same today.” She looked at Peter fondly. “Didn’t Ned and MJ tell you something similar?”

“MJ said I should stop being a dumbass and ask and Ned said I’d just know somehow.” Peter rolled his eyes. Not helpful.

“See? There you go.”

“But what if he says no?”

“Then why would you continue going on dates with him?”

Peter blinked. That… was a good question.

May looked at him intently with this soft expression on her face. “Sweetheart, if he does not want to be your boyfriend then he has no business going on dates with you when you obviously want more. Maybe he’ll say he needs more time but I highly doubt it. If you feel ready just ask him, someone has to take the first step.”

It was a silly thought but Peter liked when May called him sweetheart. Most kids would complain about their parents calling them pet names once they were young adults but Peter loved it. Besides this she made everything sound easy and logical. Maybe it was because she was a woman with her own business. Maybe she just knew. 

“You sure?” Peter asked quietly and May nodded. “Yeah, of course.”

Peter looked at the table and released a heavy breath. “Sounds easier than it is.”

“Ben was really anxious when he asked me.”

Peter whined like a child. “Can’t we just go on dates forever?”

May laughed and shook her head. “Whatever suits you, Pete, but I think you’d be more happy as boyfriends. Don’t you think?” May turned towards the drying rack. Peter just huffed in defeat. 

“How did you two get together?”

Pepper almost dropped her tablet. She caught herself at the last moment and looked up at Harley who was laying on the couch next to her, his own tablet in his hands and working on his studies, presumably. They had been sitting together in silence for quite a while and Pepper had almost forgotten she wasn’t alone. Work had once again piled up and she wouldn’t be able to calmly work on important issues before her email inbox was taken care of.

“We… who?” Pepper asked, too bewildered to follow the sudden question. Her mind was still busy with the last email about some supplier in South Korea. 

Harley glanced at her over the rim of his tablet before looking at the screen again. “You ‘n dad.”

Pepper blinked. Of course, that was the only one she was together with. It had been a silly question in hindsight but Harley’s sudden curiosity had truly come out of nowhere. She had not expected to be asked about this. “I thought you knew,” she said in surprise.

Harley scoffed. “I know that you were always at each other’s throats and there was this weird tension between you two that my innocent child brain couldn’t understand but I don’t know how you got together. I just know you were suddenly kissing one day and kinda went with it. You two had a weird relationship.”

This was certainly not the response Pepper had expected. She needed a moment to process this sudden admission before she found her footing again, deciding to ignore the comment about the so called ‘tension’ between her and Tony. Though she couldn’t say it hadn’t been there. “Well, I’d say it was a bit of a mess. It was… at the Expo actually.”

“The one where dad blew everything up?”

Pepper grimaced as she thought back to the day in particular. The entire weeks leading up to it had been a downright mess. Tony’s declining health he refused to share with anyone, this psychotic Russian killer who was seeking revenge for his father, Justin Hammer who had been involved in illegal activity, Rhodey stealing or taking a suit, Pepper herself being stressed to the max because of the sudden responsibility of leading an entire company, a freaking S.H.I.E.L.D. spy acting as a second assistant, Harley being caught up in the middle somewhere. Just thinking about it stressed Pepper out. A appointment at the spa sounded nice at this moment. “I’d argue the killer drones were more responsible for the general destruction but if you want to put it like this, yes.”

Harley grinned to himself. As a kid he had been terrified when the news had reached him but in hindsight he and his dad could joke about it. Mostly since nothing major had happened. Barely anyone had gotten hurt and the few people who had had all recovered. It had haunted his dad for a while, sure, but there were so many other things to worry about he hadn’t had the luxury of dwelling on it. Perhaps not the best coping mechanism but their situation was admittedly quite unique. Harley himself refused to think about his dad almost dying because of the reactor in his chest. It was a memory he had banned from his brain and wouldn’t touch ever again.

But this was not what Harley had wanted to know. “Okay and _how_ did you get together?”

Pepper lowered her tablet and turned her entire attention towards Harley who also glanced up after a prolonged silence. He was about to rephrase his question when Pepper answered. “After almost getting killed from an exploding killer drone your father picked me up and flew with me across the entire Expo and dropped us on some rooftop where I proceeded to tell him I’d quit and would no longer be working for him or be the CEO of SI. We then argued and got into an apologizing competition, something exploded, we kissed and that was that.” She furrowed her perfectly-trimmed eyebrows. “Rhodey was there as well.”

“Why…” Harley started to ask but trailed off and shook his head. Honestly, it was better not to ask. The entire thing was already more than enough to unpack on its own. Rhodey being there really wasn’t the strangest thing that could have happened. His dad has had some wild phases, he was used to hearing absurd stories. Especially from Pepper since she was apparently the only sane person who wasn’t involved in this entire superhero and S.H.I.E.L.D. thing. Harley only then realized this particular story did not help him with his own dilemma at all. His expression must have given away it wasn’t what he had hoped for. 

“Why did you suddenly want to know?” Pepper asked curious and watched Harley closely as he shifted and raised his tablet a bit more to hide his face. It took Pepper a few moments before she connected the dots. “Did… did you want advice?” she asked almost gently and Harley did his best to disappear behind his tablet. He didn’t like how this conversation was suddenly turning on him. “I… no.”

Pepper smiled softly. It started to make sense to her. Harley might not talk about the boy - Peter - a lot but it was often enough to let her know he was someone important. The word ‘date’ had been mentioned every now and then and Pepper was a smart woman. “Oh, I see. Did you ask your father already?”

Harley dropped his tablet and looked at her with a deadpan expression. “Does he look like someone who has any idea about romance?”

Pepper pursed her lips to keep herself from laughing. “Well, I admit his methods are… questionable at times.” Like gifting her a house-sized bunny or building an army of robots which had followed her around like minions. That one had ended in a very heated shouting match and Tony being banned from sleeping in their shared bed for about a three nights.

“It’s not like I can save Peter from some killer robots in an Iron Man suit and have him quit his job before we kiss while the nearest intersection blows up.” Harley gestured wildly. “I mean, I do have a suit but that is _not the point_.”

“I don’t think you need the suit to ask Peter to be your boyfriend,” Pepper agreed and Harley groaned. His head flopped back onto the armrest. “The fuck am I gonna do?” he whined.

Pepper prided herself with the knowledge that Harley had come to her for advice. It wasn’t like he had favorites among her and Tony. Pepper might not be his biological mother and he might not call her ‘mom’ but she filled in that role for him. Usually Harley confided in his father because they shared a lot of things Pepper was not part of. She might understand their tinkering and their similar personalities but it didn’t mean she shared what they had. This was not the first time Harley had come to her but it still felt special. “How about you just ask him,” she suggested. “Without any explosions or suits. I think talking about it openly would be… beneficial.”

Harney chewed on his lower lip worriedly. “I’m just… worried it’ll scare him off or… or that he’ll say no.”

Pepper smiled gently. Seeing Harley worried was a rare occurrence. “It’s a reasonable worry but you can’t let it decide your actions. Communication is important. It’s something I’m still trying to get through your dad’s skull.”

Harley scoffed in amusement. “Yeah he can be pretty dense at times.”

“So then don’t be the same.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Oh, for sure, but only those who talk can be helped.”

Harley sighed heavily. “I think your advice is very logical and I kinda don’t like that.”

Pepper chuckled. It wouldn’t be the first time. “Go ask you father then, he’ll recommen giant bunnies and fancy cars to woo your beloved.”

“That’s even worse than talking,” Harley groaned. “Even I know that’s not gonna work.”

“There you go then.”

“I still don’t like it.”

“Never said you had to.”

In the end it took two more dates before both boys had gathered enough courage to ask the dreaded question. It was after a dinner date at Joe’s, having shared a giant pizza and talking about whatever came to mind. They stood at the intersection where they had to part ways , holding hands loosely and trying to get their brains working again.

“So…” Peter shuffled his feet nervously. “I wanted to ask something… actually.”

“Oh…” Harley felt like some circuit was broken in his brain. “Yeah, yeah, I… me too.” He felt comfortable around Peter but he still got this nervous thrill. Usually it was just giddy excitement but right now he felt about as nervous as he had when he had first asked Peter out.

They looked at each other intently, both of them hesitating. Time seemed to go by faster around them while their little bubble was cut off from the rest of the world. New York City was as busy as always but none of the two registered any of it. Both of them could feel the tension in the air, hesitating to make the first step. One of them had to, they were aware, but it didn’t make it any easier or less frightening.

“You-”

“You wanna…”

They both looked at each other with big eyes. Peter snapped his mouth shut and couldn’t think straight. Whatever May had said, none of it made any sense. This wasn’t easy, not in the slightest.

Harley swallowed. He had to get the words out. Peter had gone on all these dates with him, he… he should be fine, right? He didn’t know how but he managed to open his mouth again. “Be… be m-my boyfriend?” he finished in a weak voice. The blood was rushing in his ears, he was sure everyone on the street could heart his heart beating wildly. 

Peter’s mouth dropped open. It didn’t look like he was breathing. For a moment Harley considered just bolting, running down the block and out of sight. He wasn’t sure why he thought this would be an appropriate response but his lizard brain seemed to like the idea of flight. Thankfully he could force himself to remain rooted to his spot. Maybe it was because Peter’s fingers were still curled into his own.

Peter needed a moment to find his voice again. It had taken him a while to properly process the question but the answer was clear as day for him. “I… y-yeah… yes…” he struggled to comprehend what had just happened - he just needed to make sure he wasn’t somehow misunderstanding someone. “You… you too?”

Harley blinked. He? It took a moment but then he realized what Peter meant and nodded dumbly. “Yeah, of course!”

More staring. Was this… was this it? Harley wasn’t sure. This… this was it, right? He had asked the question. Peter had said yes. Peter had asked the question. Harley had said yes. This was all, right? This… this meant they… did the thing… right?

“Oh…” Peter trailed off, sounding equally as amazed. “That was… easier than I thought.” Actually no, he had been terrified for a solid minute right there but no one had to know. He smiled shyly, only managing that because his hands were shaky and he felt lightheaded. Harley chuckled softly, feeling like he could suddenly breathe again without knowing he had ever struggled. His fingers curled a little tighter around Peter’s. “Yeah, same.” 

“Oh man.” Peter laughed shyly and ran a hand through his hair. He could float away right now with how light he felt, it was liberating. He wondered if Harley would continue to hold his hand to keep him on the ground. “Jesus, I was stressing about this so much.”

Harley hummed in agreement. It was like he had just been on a rollercoaster and was processing everything in hindsight. The adrenaline was slowly settling and his brain was starting up again. “I asked for advice.” 

“Me too.”

Both of them snickered at their meek admissions.

“Okay, glad we’re on the same page. We both don’t know what the fuck we’re doing. Well, I certainly don’t.” Harley laughed. He was slowly finding back into his body.

“Mhm, we can find out together?” Peter offered and Harley nodded as he stepped closer. He felt Peter’s breath against his lips and smiled softly. “I’d like that.”

“Good,” Peter breathed out with a smile and as if to seal the deal they kissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are together! Finally!  
> I was considering to write the first date - I hadn't until now - but then I worked on another story the entire day and I think this is okay as well.


	7. Chapter Seven

“Dad,” Harley said and Tony looked up at him. “Can I ask you to be… normal for one night?”

Tony frowned. “I was of the impression that ‘normal’ was a social construct forced upon society of what the grand majority perceives as the standard way of being. Therefore ‘normal’ is relevant of where you are and who you ask. Which leads me to wonder what ‘normal’ actually is.”

Harley thunked his head against the doorway. Of course his dad would have an answer like this at the ready What had he expected? “Not… that,” he said and gestured towards his dad. “Can you leave the billion dollar macho scientist in the closet for tonight please?”

Tony snorted. “I don’t know if he fits in there, buddy.”

Harley groaned. “Just tone it down, dad,” he called as he left the lab. “Don’t need you to scare Peter off, okay?”

Unbeknownst to Harley Tony stared at the spot where his son had just been and then smiled softly. He turned back to where he was fiddling with a small energy core. “Sure, buddy,” he called. 

He was Tony Stark so leaving Tony Stark in the closet while still being present somewhere else was a bit of an impossible task but… he was sensible enough to understand what his son meant. This was not a meeting with the board members or a fancy gala where he had to possess his usual suave. This was a dinner at home with his fiancée and his son who wanted to introduce his boyfriend to them. A daring step as Harley had never before brought anyone home. At least not to Tony’s knowledge. Friday would have alerted him if there was a stranger in the penthouse but knowing Harley he might have just hacked Friday. This would have been a very realistic possibility not too many years ago when Harley had gotten into his rebellious teenager phase. Their father son relationship had improved massively though. Tony was forever grateful for this. 

With his own past and bad relationship with his father, he had not been sure about raising a boy of his own. Any child, actually. Not to mention that Harley had certainly not been the easiest child. Tony would have expected nothing less from his offspring. Still, it had made raising him a challenge. Pepper had played a big role in being the more… sensible parent. She had managed to let Harley and Tony see eye to eye, to reduce their hormone-driven arguments.

Harley had needed a while to come around but he had. While he was still a hot head and while he was still irrational sometimes, he could at least see things from his father’s point of view. Tony has had to learn to be more lenient with his kid, to not blow things out of proportion and, for once in his life when it wasn’t Pepper, to actually listen. This had become more and more important as Harley grew older and Tony had only very late seen the importance of listening to your child. Not just hearing what you as their parents wanted to hear, but actually listen to what they had to say. It made a lot of things easier. 

All that said, Tony was actually looking forward to meeting Peter. Harley… did not have a very normal childhood so having friends around his own age had been a foreign concept to him for most of his life. To Tony’s knowledge he now had a whole group of friends and among them Peter, his boyfriend of several months. 

Of course Tony has heard quite a bit from his son about his boyfriend. Peter wore glasses and he lived with his aunt in a small apartment over their café. Peter’s uncle, the original owner, had passed away several years ago as had Peter’s parents early on in his childhood. Tony tried not to think about this aspect too much. 

Harley had repeatedly brought up how smart Peter was. This, as conceited as it sounded, was what Tony had expected any of his son’s potential partners to be. Not in a condescending way but he wouldn’t have known where Harley would even get to know someone who wasn’t on the same wavelength as him. Even if he had, Tony wouldn’t have had much faith in a long-lasting relationship between the two. He had lived it himself. People who were not on the same wavelength got tired of being left behind. Rightfully so, of course, but still. If one person felt inferior to the other it was poison to any otherwise healthy relationship. Tony would have been gravely surprised had Harley found someone like this. 

Peter, however, seemed to be on a similar wavelength as Harley or at least he was able to keep up with Tony’s sometimes quite frazzled son. Chemistry, biology and physics were most up Peter’s alley with a fascinating interest in astronomy. Stars in particular.

Ever since meeting Peter, Harley occasionally blurted out a random fact which took everyone by surprise. He would then usually shrug and say something along the lines of ‘Peter told me’. It was amusing to say the least. Just watching his son speak of Peter so fondly and with admiration in his eyes has made Tony want to meet him. He has never been a patient man, he usually got what he wanted one way or another but he had learned to be patient with his son. So he waited until Harley brought it up. Tony of course understood they were no normal family and what he had heard from Peter, he has had a very normal family and upbringing. Meeting someone like Tony Stark was not something normal for him. 

A sudden thought struck Tony. “Friday?”

“Yes, boss?”

Tony pursed his lips. “Is there a protocol for parents meeting their kid’s boyfriend?”

“I can’t find anything in my programming,” Friday said after barely a second of silence.

“No.” Tony shook his head. “Like… online. Is there a guide or something? Rules to follow?” He should feel silly about asking this, seeing as his son was very much an adult, but he still felt the need to know. Tony was nothing if not prepared in every situation.

Friday was silent which meant she was currently shuffling her way through the bazillion of internet sources at her disposal. Tony waited semi-patiently and tapped the tip of the screwdriver in his hand against the table. He couldn’t believe he was actually doing this, he was Tony Stars for frick’s sake. But he was doing this  _ because _ he was Tony Stark. Meeting his son’s boyfriend was not something normal for him. He’d like a guidebook on that even when he’d ignore it. Friday could just summarize the most important aspects. Perhaps he should ask Pepper for some pointers. 

“I have found some answers in parenting forums,” Friday said and Tony snorted. “Yeah, sure. Hit me.”

“An overwhelming amount suggest to be welcoming and open. It is important to make the guest feel comfortable. Furthermore it is recommended to know about any allergies or preferences regarding food if a meal is involved. Asking about school is mostly no advised as it can be a touchy subject unless the guest brings it up first. Recommended for conversations are hobbies or interests, pets are usually a safe subject as well. However, one should refrain from interrogating the guest. Letting your child and their partner have their own space to retreat is a sign of trust. Not allowing the door to be closed or intruding unannounced makes the child uneasy and reluctant to bring someone over.”

That… was a lot. Tony needed a short moment to process. He’d have to make sure to keep his sarcastics remarks in check for a while then. Just until he knew that Peter wouldn’t be offended since he didn’t want to ruin this for Harley. The kid had gotten a whole bunch ruined for him just by being his son already, Tony didn’t need to add any more to the list. Letting them have their own space wasn’t really a problem for him either. They were both adults and obviously not stupid. Tony couldn’t say the same for himself so he was not allowed to interfere with that part. He trusted Harley to be responsible. The only thing on the list to throw him off was the point about allergies because Tony did honestly not know.

“Friday, ask Harley if Peter has any allergies,” he said and waited for an answer. 

Friday relayed the question and returned with an answer soon enough. “Champ said Peter does not have any allergies but he doesn’t like coffee. He would also like to remind that Peter is used to most common dishes appropriate for a moderate New York income.”

Tony snorted. He was pretty sure Harley had said something along the lines of ‘he doesn’t know caviary and shit like that so please keep that away’ and Friday had rephrased it. “Okay, noted,” Tony said. “What’s on the menu tonight?”

“Mrs. Potts ordered groceries to be delivered early this morning. The list would suggest Chicken Alfredo and a mixed salad as a side.”

Tony smiled. Pepper cooked every now and then when she had the time but she was a busy woman and often too stressed to feel good standing in the kitchen and cooking. They had people to do it for them so it obviously wasn’t a must. Today though she had announced she wanted to cook. She had even cleared her schedule to get off work a bit earlier. This evening was something Pepper looked forward to as well and it seemed she wanted to make it feel as homey as possible. While she was used to the suave of the circles around her, she was probably the one most down to earth out of all of them. Tony was, as always, incredible grateful to have her. 

“No dessert?” he asked teasingly. Usually Pepper went all out when she had the time. She usually made semolina porridge with cinnamon that had to be served hot. It was her go-to stress food after a long day of work and while it wasn’t anything fancy or pretty looking, Tony had to admit he could eat quite a bit of it himself. They had spent a few late nights in the living room, fire burning away with a steaming pot of semolina porridge shared between them. It was strangely soothing. 

“Mr. Parker wanted to bring a dessert.”

Tony nodded. From his understanding, he and his aunt ran a bakery that sold sweet pastries as well. Maybe they would get to try some of those. 

“Alright, remind me half an hour before they get here to get ready.”

“Of course boss, I’ve set a reminder for you.”

Harley had left to pick up Peter a while ago. Not just to be a gentleman but to make sure Peter would get through security alright and wouldn’t feel like a fugitive. The first time entering the Tower was always a little overwhelming and gaining access to the penthouse was as much of a hassle as it needed to be. Friday had her eyes and ears everywhere but even she would need to scan Peter and get his fingerprints first before she would recognize him. Harley would be able to do that without problem and Peter wouldn’t have to deal with any security personnel. It would surely still be a bit of an experience. 

Friday informed them they were on their way up in the elevator and Tony checked himself one more time in the reflection of the window. According to Pepper a suit was not needed which was… strange but Tony accepted his fiancée’s fashion consultation and had settled for a shirt and a casual blazer with a pair of jeans. Pepper had swapped her dress for a blouse and pants as well. Harley sometimes said both of his parents had lost the ability to dress down appropriately but then again, Harley’s default wardrobe was sweats or jeans with a hoodie or T-shirt. Not exactly the best counterargument. Besides, Tony was known to rock the utmost ambiguous attire when he was working in his lab.

Unbeknownst to Tony and Pepper, Harley had left a bit earlier because Peter was going through a mental breakdown and tearing his closet apart because ‘What does one wear when they meet Tony Stark and Pepper Potts for dinner? And no Harley, I will  _ not _ just wear sweatpants you heathen!’. So Harley has had to convince his poor panicked boyfriend that no one would care about his clothes and a simple white shirt with a cardigan and jeans were completely fine.

“I’m really curious about Peter,” Pepper said from behind Tony and he hummed, turning around to her. “If he can keep up with Harley I’m sure he’s an enigma of his own.”

Pepper smiled and shook her head. “Just don’t overwhelm him.”

“Why are you the third person to tell me this today?” Counting his son, his AI and now his fiancée.

“Because you have a tendency to go in without regard because that’s where you come out on top,” Pepper said easily and brushed her hand down Tony’s arm. 

Tony blinked at her. “Am I getting psychoanalyzed by own fiancée, Mrs. Potts?”

She smiled. “Only when you need it, Mr. Stark.”

Tony huffed. If there was one person he’d surrender to willingly it would be Pepper Potts. Without question. He might quip back at her but if she told him to jump he’d jump.

They turned when the elevator arrived on their floor. The doors slid open, Friday’s voice spilling from the small room. “- and I wish an enjoyable evening.”

“Oh, thanks Friday.” This was a new voice.

Harley stepped out first and gently tugged along the figure behind him. Tony finally got a got look at him. The boy’s hair was swept back but the curls were easy to notice. Some had escaped the taming-attempt like Harley’s usually did as well. Peter wore glasses just like Harley had said. Overall he looked like a nice young man, more put together than Tony’s own son usually appeared to be with attentive brown eyes and a kind aura. Like someone you couldn’t help but enjoy being around.

Tony noticed the pair was around the exact same height and they looked almost fitting next to each other. He had never seen his son hold another boy’s hand and while this particular fact did not bother him in the slightest it was still strange to see. Perhaps because he was seeing his kid with a romantic partner for the very first time. Perhaps this was what was strange to see. Though from his first visual impression, there was nothing about Peter that bothered Tony which must be a good sign. Besides, he was bringing pastries and everyone who brought pastries must be a good person, especially when they were a boy.

“Pepper, dad,” Harley said and gestured to the boy next to him. “This is Peter.”

“Hi,” Peter managed to get out, eyes shining brightly. “Mrs. Potts, Mr. Stark.”

Oh, polite. Tony shook the boy’s hands and smiled. He did look a little star-struck but Tony was more than used to the reaction. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Peter,” Pepper said in that kind voice reserved for special occasions. 

Tony hummed. “Harley here has been talking about you a lot.”

Harley narrowed his eyes at Tony in warning to make sure his dad didn’t say anything stupid.

“Ah,” Peter smiled shyly. “Only good things I hope?”

“There is literally nothing bad to say about you,” Harley deadpanned, obviously not appreciating this overly polite and stiff atmosphere. For him it was strange to have people talking to his parents like they were celebrities and not just normal people though he could logically understand why they did it. Peter turned to look at him but obviously didn’t know what to say to that in front of his boyfriend’s parents. Harley just smiled at him sweetly and wow, Tony rarely got to see  _ that _ kind of smile on his son’s face. This alone told him this was serious business.

“Harley said you were bringing dessert,” Tony said, swooping in to stop the boys from swooning at each other before dinner had even started. “Anyone who brings dessert is very much welcome here.”

“I, yeah.” Peter looked away from his boyfriend and raised the big tupperware bowl he was carrying. “I brought something. I asked Harley what you liked but he wasn’t really much of a help.”

“I said everything is fine,” Harley protested. 

Peter huffed. “Yeah but everything is the same as nothing. I asked to narrow it down because I couldn’t decide what to make. Your ‘everything’ didn’t exactly help me.”

Harley muttered something under his breath which sounded an awful lot like ‘well, I like everything you make’ and Tony had to fight the big grin threatening to take over his face. The more he watched these two interact the more he liked seeing them together. “Well, we do eat pretty much everything,” he said with a nod.

“Does it need to go into the fridge?” Pepper asked. 

“Oh no, that’s fine. Just a spot where I can put it down.”

“I’ll go put it in the kitchen,” Pepper said and took the bowl. Peter smiled gratefully. “You boys go sit down. I’ll come with the food.”

Harley steered Peter over to the table before he could offer his help because Peter did look like someone who would always offer his help. Tony just smiled and followed the two. Pepper joined them soon enough and they lapsed into comfortable conversation. Peter was a little shy and reluctant but having Harley be his usual self must have been a comfort. He slowly came out of his shell and started actively engaging in the conversation. It didn’t take long for Tony to figure this boy had a brilliant brain. He could keep up when Tony and Harley lapsed into their usual science talk, he got even the more abstract concepts and when he dared to add something of his own it was always a good contribution.

Tony was pleasantly surprised and almost laughed at the smug look Harley sent him in the later half of their dinner. Pepper got a few words in as well, asking about Peter’s aunt and their bakery which Peter was happy to talk about. He explained how they usually came up with new ideas at the strangest times, how he had once been woken up by his aunt in the middle of the night and they had started trying out new recipes and how they sometimes stayed up until after midnight, seated in a dimly lit café and making plans. It was easy to see he and May shared a very close and loving relationship.

When it was time for dessert Peter presented his home-made brownies and marmalade-filled doughnuts. Harley almost bounced in his seat. “You made Mu Cephei just for me?” he asked with sparkling eyes but Peter scoffed. “Not just for you, for everyone,” he reminded. “But I did make them because you like them,” he added a little quieter. 

Tony couldn’t believe it. This was sickeningly sweet, such young love. So many romantic feelings. His own son being lovey dovey with someone when he was usually - excuse his language - a sarcastic little shit. Tony almost awed out loud at the display of mushy feelings but decided to spare them the embarrassment. “Mu Cephei?” he asked instead because the foreign words had peaked his interest. It didn’t sound like an ordinary doughnut name. “That’s an unusual name for a doughnut.”

Peter looked a little startled and then stared down at the table pointedly. Harley just grinned and poked his side like this was an inside joke between them. 

“It’s uh…” Peter rubbed his neck self-consciously while trying to slap Harley’s hand away from his side. “I usually come up with the names and it’s… kind of a stupid pun.”

Harley pursed his lips in disagreement. “Not stupid,” he insisted.

Peter shook his head. “It’s the name of a star actually,” he explained, looking up and ignoring Harley who nodded in silent support. “Mu Cephei is a red supergiant. One of the biggest that have been discovered. It’s just because it’s strawberry marmalade and red,“ Peter shrugged, “so I went with Mu Cephei.”

Tony hummed and raised his brows in understanding. He could always appreciate a good pun, no matter how sciency or specific it was. The more specific the better actually, even when he might not understand astronomy-related puns, he liked them nevertheless. He pointed a Peter. “I like the way you’re thinking, Peter.”

It seemed to be the right thing to say because Peter smiled softly and Harley nodded in agreement.

Tony couldn’t help but notice the almost hidden mannerisms between the pair throughout the course of their dinner. Harley looked at Peter like he was the sweetest thing in the world and Peter had that soft appreciation in his eyes whenever Harley did anything. They had been together for about half a year already, longer than any of Tony’s attempts had ever lasted before Pepper. Most of his attempts hadn’t stretched further than one night to be completely honest. Perhaps he wasn’t the best to judge a relationship.

None of the two were overly touchy at the moment but their hands occasionally brushed together and Tony was pretty sure Harley had a hand on Peter’s upper knee whenever he didn’t need it to eat. They bounced off of one another when they were talking, all genuine smiles and light teasing. It was refreshing to see and made Tony almost yearn for such a youthful romance if he weren’t so happy with his own relationship. He hadn’t had anything against Peter previously but the always underlying parental concern was now snuffed out as well. Peter was a wonderful person and Tony had silently approved of him at the end of the evening. 

“Thank you for dinner. The food was amazing, Mrs. Potts,” Peter said honestly when they were about to leave, the now empty and washed tupperware under his arm because he refused to let Harley take it. The remaining brownies and Mu Cepheis were packed away for tomorrow. 

“I’m glad you liked it,” Pepper said and Tony could see she was genuinely pleased to hear the compliment. She rarely cooked for people outside of her family and she knew Harley and Tony would never say they hadn’t liked her food even if it happened not to be to their taste.

“Don’t stay out too late boys,” Tony called just before the elevator doors closed and blocked Harley’s eye roll from sight. 

It was suddenly so quiet in the penthouse. 

Pepper sighed softly and turned towards her fiance. “Well?”

“I like him,” Tony said with a shrug before raising his eyebrows. “Did you see how Harley looks at him?”

Pepper chuckled. “Yeah, like a puppy in love.”

“Puppy love, oh how sweet,” Tony cooed. “Makes you wanna be young again, huh?”

“Excuse you, Mr. Stark. I have yet to reach the prime of my years.”

“Of course, my bad, Mrs. Potts. May I make it up to you with a bottle of wine and some romance TV this fine evening?”

“You make a tempting offer, Mr. Stark. Romance away.”

“Gladly, Mrs. Potts.”

“Did I do okay?” Peter asked with a worried expression exactly three seconds after the elevator doors had closed.

Harley shimmied closer to him and wrapped his arms around his waist from behind. He was like a leech sometimes according to MJ. A really attention-seeking leech. “I know my old man so believe me when I say he likes you. You gave him a pointer about the drawback of using carbon instead of synthetic fiber. He’s gonna look into that tomorrow.”

“So that wasn't offensive?” Peter asked. “I mean, he’s Tony Stark.”

“Yeah and because he’s Tony Stark he likes people telling him whenever his oh so brilliant ideas won’t work. Spares him from blowing up his lab all the time but people don’t fucking do it cause he’s Tony Stark so no, not offensive at all.”

Peter chewed on his bottom lip, worries still not completely gone. “And Mrs. Potts?”

Harley hummed and hooked his chin over Peter’s shoulder. “She likes you, promise. You’re always so polite and you brought desert, you wanted to do the dishes and you said you liked her food. She likes you. They both like you. Not just because you’re always polite but because you’re you.” He nuzzled his nose into Peter’s neck and kissed the spot behind his ear. “Okay?”

Peter made an unidentified sound. “I guess… doesn’t mean I won’t be nervous next time. They’re still your parents.”

The elevator arrived on the ground floor and the doors opened soundlessly. Harley grinned, releasing Peter from his octopus grip and taking his hand instead. “It’s fine, you’ll get used it it. I was fucking terrified of May for about two months.”

This tickled a laugh out of Peter as Harley led them through the garage towards one of his own cars. One of the less… attention-attracting ones. He had promised to drive Peter home after all. “Yeah, I feel like May is terrifying to men in general. She has a different effect on women.”

“Probably because women are all crushing on her and can handle themselves better than men can.”

Peter snorted at that. He had seen people doing double takes at his aunt several times. People of both ends of the gender spectrum and women were indeed usually nicer about their crushes. For the longest time May had been happily married or not looking but maybe she’d feel ready for a relationship again when the right person came around. Peter wanted her to be happy. He’d just have to make sure that person had his aunt’s happiness in mind as well. May really didn’t need him to look out for her but that didn’t mean Peter wouldn’t do it anyway

“I bet MJ wasn’t scared of her,” Harley mused and Peter snickered. 

“Yeah but MJ’s not scared of anyone.”

“True.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you all like the way I wrote Tony. It was a bit of a struggle to write him analyzing his own parenting.  
> And everyone crushing on May is something that is totally true, you can't tell me otherwise.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit late, sorry about that. I felt like a tripple-flipped pancake today; disturbingly not right.  
> If tomorrow's update is late just know that I might still feel like a tripple-flipped pancake and spent my time staring at walls while trying to decide whether my nausea and headache is from hunger or motion sickness from watching YouTube videos. Great times await me.
> 
> Also: what the absolute FUCK is the American school system??? I have no idea and I don't care, please ignore inaccuracies because I don't get it. My European ass is confused.

“So if you read this line here it’s kind of tricky because it loops back to one at the very start and completely alters the cope if the previous runthrough got a negative result right there and-”

“Harley… Harley, stop.” Peter grabbed Harley’s arm and tugged on it to get the other to look at him. Harley did exactly that, stopping his rant with his hand frozen in the air and focusing on Peter who had an unreadable expression on his face. “Just… slow it down, please,” Peter said quietly and rubbed at his temple like he felt a headache coming. 

Harley continued looking at him, eyes switching to the code in front of them and then back at Peter. “I… yeah… okay.” They were sitting on Harley’s bed, going through the code he was working on and Harley was excited to explain everything to Peter, pointing out the lines and everything. He was already going slowly and he didn’t feel like Peter not understanding what he said was the problem. There must be something else going on but he didn’t know what. “I can do slow.”

“No, it’s…” Peter trailed off and bit his lip. His gaze was turned away and several emotions took over his face before he settled on something akin to resignment. 

Harley had no idea what was going on. He felt like he had done something seriously wrong but he didn’t know what. If he didn’t know the problem then he couldn’t fix it. He needed some kind of clue as to what was out of order so he could take a look at it, analyze it and then come up with a suitable solution. Sadly this wasn’t as easy with human beings as it was with machines. They were offended when you started sorting them into pieces and taking a look at their inside…

That sounded very wrong.

“It’s not slow, it’s…” Peter trailed off again. Harley was not that much of a social dumbass that he didn’t know this was about more than just explaining and understanding code. Especially because Peter had shown him before that he understood code quite well, he grasped concepts easily and had no problem translating a human problem into an approach that a computer could work with. It was a skill people had to learn first because most were unfamiliar with how a computer was able to operate. 

Peter might not have ultimate skills at Java or C++ or any programming language but he understood the concept. He figured out what the goal was and could easily come up with an approach which was often going in the right direction. He understood the problems Harley ran into and knew why some things had to be done a certain way. Even when he didn’t get every single line of code, he could understand their function and why they were there when Harley explained it. So this must be about more than just code. 

Peter turned to Harley again, expression unreadable. He hesitated for a moment before finally giving in. “I have dyslexia.”

Well shit. 

Harley just stared at Peter like a dumbass. Dyslexia… He… he had heard that word before… somewhere but he had no idea where. He had also no idea what that meant. Was it a disease? A disorder? A condition? A heart problem? Something genetic? Psychological? How was he supposed to react to this? He opened his mouth… and closed it again.

Dumbass.

“Oh…”

Double dumbass.

“Is that… bad?”

Triple dumbass.

Peter looked at him carefully, watching his expression to figure out what was going on in Harley’s head. Harley had to be honest and say there was nothing but panicked running back and forth going on in his head right now. His computer was spitting out an unhelpful error message.

“Do you know what dyslexia is?” Peter asked softly and Harley shook his head slowly. Guilty as charged. He felt bad but it was better to be honest than lying. Not that he’d ever consider lying to Peter. He never had and never would.

Peter sighed and took a moment to gather himself. He didn’t seem to enjoy this conversation at all and Harley felt even worse since he was making him talk about it. “It’s… a learning disability, basically.”

Harley was quiet, just listening without interrupting. Peter took another deep breath and looked anywhere but at Harley. “I have… trouble reading, and writing at that, and some other stuff so… it takes me pretty long to read something and it’s not that I don’t get it from a logic-sense I just…” He had difficulty saying this, maybe because he didn’t want to say it. “I have trouble figuring out the letters in the right order or even the words themselves so I misread things a lot or get distracted or… whatever.” He waved his hand tiredly. “It’s not that I don’t get the code, it’s just that what you’re telling me and what I’m trying to read doesn’t match up and that confuses me so… if you go slow I can try to sort it out.” Peter wrung his hands together guiltily. “I usually just go with what you’re saying but this is more complex and I want to get it I just…” He ducked his head insecurely and stopped talking completely.

Harley had never seen Peter act this way. At least not on such a scale. He had gotten a little self-conscious before but this was basically him completely withdrawing himself into a protective shell. He didn’t dare look at Harley, his gaze was cast downwards and he was fiddling with his fingers nervously. It was like he was just waiting or even expecting Harley to… to laugh at him or to make some mean comments. Obviously Harley would never even think about such a thing. He merely needed a moment to process what he had just been told. This was obviously something big and he didn’t want to ruin anything.

“So this… dis… des…”

“Dyslexia,” Peter said quietly while fiddling with his sleeve. 

“Dyslexia,” Harley repeated the foreign word. He had to remember this and do some research later. “Means you have trouble reading? It’s not like… bad?” Peter frowned a little and opened his mouth. “Bad like physically bad,” Harley rushed out as an explanation. “Like, you’re not hurting because of it, right?”

Peter considered for a second. “Well, except for some headaches, emotional breakdowns and panic attacks I guess not, no.”

Harley made a distressed noise in the back of his throat and grabbed for Peter’s hand. He searched for Peter’s eyes and found his gaze after some weird contortions that surely weren’t good for his back. “I know literally nothing about this thing so you’ll have to help me out a little but as far as I can tell you have no reason to look like I’m about to hightail it for the hills,” he murmured sadly. He tried to put a lot of thing into his voice. Such as both caring and worried tones, a bit of humor because that never hurt anyone, but most importantly a lot of gentleness. 

“Well, you’d have reason enough to hightail, I guess,” Peter mumbled, looking away though he let Harley keep his hand. SMall victories 

“And why would I do that?”

“Because I’m… slow and you’re… obviously not.”

Harley grunted. “Even if you were slow - and by the way, I hate the negative connotation that this word has here - that’s not a reason to hightail.”

Peter looked up at the ceiling. “It can take me hours to read a page.”

“But you still read it.”

This time Peter grunted and turned his head away completely. 

“Hey.” Harley searched for Peter’s eyes again. “I don’t care how long it takes you to read or write something. You still read stuff, like, really advanced stuff that most people wouldn’t even look at once. You’re doing it at your own pace and that’s cool. I’m not gonna run because you can’t read Banner’s paper within two days.”

“Sometimes I don’t get stuff,” Peter said like he was listing more things that could be a reason to run. Almost like a challenge. Harley briefly wondered if he has had people react badly to this reveal before and then realized, based on Peter’s reaction, that he most certainly had. Otherwise he wouldn’t have hid it for this long or assume Harley would want to end things immediately.

“That’s fine.”

“I get words wrong.”

“Also fine.”

“I will spell your name wrong. Like, very wrong. Multiple times.”

Harley smiled. “Also fine. You don’t even have to spell my name, you can just draw a heart instead.”

This tickled a smile out of Peter and he threw his head back for a moment so he wouldn’t have to look at Harley and could gather his bearings in peace. “Sometimes I feel really, really stupid because of it,” he admitted quietly.

“Well, then I can remind you that you are in fact not stupid.”

Peter looked at Harley with a soft smile. Gone was that dreaded self-conscious look from before. “You know, for someone who has no idea what this whole thing is you’re dealing with it pretty well.”

Harley shrugged. “I’m doing my best.”

They just gazed at one other for a while until Peter mumbled a quiet ‘thanks’ and Harley leaned forward to kiss him. “Any time, baby.”

Once Harley knew about Peter’s dyslexia he started noticing a few small things that he hadn’t paid any attention to previously. For one, Peter usually made audio messages or he used the speech to text function whenever he sent something. He rarely typed it himself unless it was in group chats and when he did there were often typos in the words. Harley didn’t mind, even when he sometimes had to take a moment to figure out what something meant. Peter did use autocorrect but, according to him, it didn’t help when even autocorrect didn’t know what you were trying to say.

When Peter received a text he sometimes read it several times to make sure he had understood it correctly or read it again after a minute. 

And yeah, Peter had been right about him spelling Harley’s name wrong which Harley didn’t mind at all but the results still always brought an amused smile to his face. His favorite was by far Halay. The more he thought about it the funnier it was but it also made a bit of sense. Peter didn’t like spelling his boyfriend’s name for this exact reason and would usually avoid it but at least he didn’t feel offended when Harley giggled over his attempt. Mostly because he knew there was no ill intent behind the reaction.

There were also instance where something like this happened. 

_ “Orgasmic.” _

_ Harley frowned. “What?” He turned to Peter who was now pointing at a sign over a street stand selling roasted peanuts. Harley read the sign himself and tried to suppress a laugh which resulted in a choked sound escaping him. Peter looked at him with a raised eyebrow. _

_ “It says organic,” Harley said.  _

_ Peter turned to squint at the sign again for some moments. Whether or not he was still reading ‘organic’ as ‘orgasmic’ was unknown but he must have realized his mistake. “Yeah…” he mused. “I guess that makes more sense.” _

Or this.

_ “If not tightened property the shelf might not be secure enough.”  _

_ Harley halted for a moment, going through that sentence again because something was off. He then realized Peter had said ‘property’ instead of ‘properly’ and smiled softly. “It’s not gonna fall,” he said, giving the metal partition he had just screwed into the shelf a slap. As if the universe was against him the metal plate fell to the floor with a loud clang, three screws dropping with high-pitched pings and rolling out of sight. The last one was still in place. _

_ Peter turned in his swivel chair, holding the manual and raising an eyebrow at Harley who huffed. “Fine,” he grumbled in defeat and went to find new screws.  _

And sometimes even this.

_ “What does that say?” Harley looked up from his laptop at the paper Peter had pushed towards him, his finger tapping a spot just above a long word. “I’m reading… I don’t even know what I’m reading to be honest, it doesn’t make any sense,” Peter huffed. _

_ “Well, that is a long word,” Harley said, even he had to read it three times to get it right. “It’s ‘incomprehensibilities’.” He glanced up at Peter to gauge his reaction. The other was looking nowhere specific, his eyes moving back and forth and his expression a bit pinched but then smoothed over. “Okay, that works I guess.” He pulled the paper back towards himself and continued reading. Harley had learned that when Peter continued staring at him it was a silent request to explain the word and when he didn’t he tried to figure it out on his own.  _

It was small things that happened every now and then. Harley guessed Peter had been living with this for so long he had learned to make specific tasks easier for himself. Like how he always printed papers out in a specific font and in that one shade of blue. His glasses also had a slight violet hue that was only noticeable when the light hit them right. Apparently this helped a little bit but since dyslexia was not based on any visual problems it was not some sort of magical solution. Just a tool to make things a little easier. 

Foolishly Harley had assumed it must not be too difficult to go about your daily life with dyslexia and perhaps for some it wasn’t but surely not for everyone. Peter made everything look so easy and he didn’t let his disability bring him down. He was scarily smart which was an admission Harley did not give out lightly to just anyone. It was easy to forget Peter struggled with things most would see as the most basic proof of intelligence.

“Why’re you not in university?” Harley asked one evening when they were in a café, holding their mugs of hot chocolate and watching the people running around in the rain like skittish rabbits, dodging umbrellas left and right in some weird play of limbo. It should be a olympic sport, really. Walking in New York City was a skill that needed to be perfected and honed. You couldn’t just pop up here and do it, it took years of harsh training. An additional skill set was required to dodge the pointy things on umbrellas that could literally poke out your eyeballs.

Peter stirred his hot chocolate, watching how the whipped cream slowly dissolved. “Apart from the fact that it’s freakishly expensive and I don’t want to be in dept until I’m dead?”

“Yeah, that part I know. That’s the universal American Experience; student loans.”

“Yeah except you have a billionaire as a dad.”

Harley looked at Peter with a pout. The latter laughed lightly and drowned some more of his whipped cream. “Kidding, but yeah, I guess that’s one of the reasons. I don’t have the money and May doesn’t either. She’s juggling enough as it is, I don’t want to add student loans to that.”

“So you’re trying to work until you can afford it?” Harley knew this was very unlikely because getting together enough money with a job like Peter’s was pretty much impossible except there was some really sketchy insurance fraud going on.

Peter shrugged listlessly.

Harley pursed his lips. He put one elbow and the table and placed his chin in his palm, turning so he was looking at Peter properly. They’ve had this talk before, kind of at least. Peter usually avoided the topic and usually Harley let him but this time he wanted to get further than Peter simply avoiding him. “That’s not the whole story though.” He had known his boyfriend long enough by now to realize when he needed to do some digging to get the whole story out of him.

“It’s not,” Peter said, not even trying to deny it for once which Harley counted as a success. Peter had issues with talking about serious things and not hiding behind a wall of ‘I’m okay’ and ‘It’s fine’. His friends could attest to this. If you wanted Peter to spill the beans you had to dig quite a bit. Gently though, because he was sensitive and was to be handled with attention and care. Or your name was May and Peter just started talking after one or two pokes.

“Would you like to share with the class?” Harley asked softly. Giving Peter the option of talking about it was always better than digging until he got it. At the right place and time chances were quite high that Peter would entrust people close to him with his troubles. Harley liked to think he was about as close as one could get to his own boyfriend and he also liked to believe he was someone Peter knew he could always talk to about anything.

Peter sighed and leaned back. His gaze was trained onto the bustling life outside of the café, bright signs flashing and the puddles on the ground reflecting the ever-changing traffic lights. His hair was curlier than usual because of the humidity in the air. The hood of his hoodie was a bit wet from the rain since his jean jacket didn’t have one. As soon as they had entered the café he had taken off his glasses to dry the water droplets on the lenses because that was the most annoying thing ever according to him. “Have you seen my highschool diploma?”

Harley blinked. This was not where he had expected this conversation to go. “I… have not, no.”

“Not that you couldn’t.”

It wasn’t like Harley could deny it. He had hacked Friday multiple times so getting a high school diploma wasn’t too much of a challenge. “Well, I mean-” 

“Mister ‘I hack the traffic cams for lolz’.” Peter looked at him with a smug grin and Harley huffed. “It’s fun. Do you know how much crazy shit is on there?”

“Yeah, you showed me.”

“Did I show you the one with the milk?”

“Yeah.”

Harley gestured agitatedly. “Why does someone buy an entire pallet of milk? And tries to push it home?!”

Peter laughed. “I don’t know. Never had the urge.”

Harley scoffed. “Regular milk at that. From cows. I mean, WHY?” He shook his head and took a thoughtful sip from his hot chocolate which almost fried his tongue into a questionable chicken nugget from McDonalds. He quickly put down his cup again and stuck out his tongue like a dog in an attempt to cool it down. Peter snorted. “Careful there.”

“That ish not funny,” Harley whined, his tongue feeling a little odd. “No more frensh kisshing for you.”

“Oh no,” Peter mused in obviously fake distress. “However will I survive?”

“You won’t, that’s the point.”

“Sure.”

Harley shook his head and tried to get used to his now burned tongue. “We were discussing your high school diploma.” He said pointedly to get the discussing away from his poor tongue and french kissing because then he’d become distracted. It seems Peter realized his plan at distraction hadn’t gone as planned so he gave in with a sigh. “Yeah, it sucks.”

“How come?”

Peter turned to him with an unamused expression like that was the stupidest question he had ever asked. 

“No, really,” Harley said seriously. “Because I know you are smart as fuck so I don’t get why you’d have bad grades.”

“Reading comprehension, books, essays, timed exams,” Peter listed. “Not really my strong suit.”

“Wait, so they didn’t give you more time or whatever?” Harley asked in confusion. 

“Nope.”

Harley blinked several times. “Fuck, that’s hella unfair.”

“Tell me about it,” Peter mumbled quietly. “We tried, several times. We spoke to the headmaster and everything, I tried talking to my teachers but most just told me to try harder. Some gave me a bit of an extension on homework but that’s it. They said it’s standardized tests so it’s the same for everybody and no one should get any advantages.”

This was absolutely ridiculous. Giving Peter more time wouldn’t be an advantage, he’d barely have the same chances as the other students. How could he try and answer questions when he couldn’t even read the question? How was that a fair measure of his intellect and competence? Just because he couldn’t read Romeo and Juliet in time didn’t mean he had no understanding of complex math equations. 

“Dude, that sucks.”

Peter shrugged. “I know…” His hands wrapped around his steaming cup, his thumb tracing over the surface. “I was pretty angry for a long while. Since my SAT score was not very impressive I couldn’t get any scholarships so I can’t afford university. Not to mention the ones I’d like to apply for wouldn’t take someone with such a low score so…” He shrugged. 

Peter said this like he had put it all behind him but Harley knew he hadn’t. Peter was just like him in a lot of aspects, the thirst for knowledge and the undying want to learn more was something they both had in common. Their burning passion for their interests and the genuine aspiration to make more out of it was stronger in them than in most people. Harley was lucky and got all the opportunities anyone could ever wish for while Peter was denied all of it because of a lack of money and his stupid SAT score.

“So, I’m stuck,” Peter said. “I can’t apply for a scholarships so I can’t afford university. The ones I could apply for wouldn’t take me because of my stats. I’d have to move away which I don’t want and also can’t afford. I’m stuck working jobs to make money to afford living. It’s not enough to be able to afford university at some point so I can’t apply for higher-paying jobs. I’m stuck at minimum wage or maybe something slightly above that if I’m lucky. Since I have a job I can’t really get a lot of other qualifications.” He released a heavy breath. “I’m literally stuck and set for life because I couldn’t read fast enough.” Peter smiled when he said this but it was dripping with disappointment and resentment and his eyes were unusually watery. 

Harley’s chest ached. He didn’t know what to say. He was ashamed to admit he had never thought about this. A high school diploma had literally decided the rest of Peter’s life for him before it had even begun. And this stupid tests hadn’t even graded his intelligence. Because his teachers had refused to adjust to his requirements, Peter was now denied so much in his life.

How many people were stuck in the same situation as he was?

“It’s not that I don’t want to go to university,” Peter said quietly. Harley believed him because if anyone was perfect to be a student and deserved access to a higher education it would be Peter. “It’s just that I can’t.” This had probably been the hardest thing to come to terms with.

“I… I’m sorry,” Harley said and even he knew it was lame. Saying sorry didn’t help anyone. 

Peter shrugged, eyes cast downwards. “It’s not your fault. Blame the system.”

Oh Harley did. He was furious at the system and those stupid high school teachers. It was literally their fault. Peter was one of the smartest people he had met, his brain was overflowing with ideas and concepts that should be acknowledged and explored. He had witnessed it first hand how Peter sometimes took over and solved a problem in a fraction of the time it would have taken Harley. He was an incredibly visual thinker and his brain always came up with new creative solutions to pesky problems. Even Tony sometimes came over, explained a problem to Peter and told him to fire off any solutions he could think of.

“Well,” Peter said and straightened up in an attempt to get away from feeling down. One of his hands came up to wipe at his cheeks before he forced a smile onto his face. Harley could hear his own heart break into two. “I don’t mind working with May and when I have saved up enough maybe I can reduce my hours a bit and then apply to some evening classes and get some sort of… something and then apply for some office jobs or something.”

The fake enthusiasm in his voice made Harley feel even worse. “But you don’t want that,” he said and it was out before he could stop himself. It was the truth but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt to hear it. Peter’s smile faded and his shoulders slumped again. His hands around his cup tightened a little. “No… I don’t.”

Harley sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. They were twenty for fuck’s sake. Peter shouldn’t have to know he’d end up in some sort of underpaid job that he’d hate. Even worse, he couldn’t do anything about it. “What would you like to do at university if you could just pick something?” He asked.

Peter chuckled sadly. “I never really looked into it too deeply because I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it anyway but… NYU and Columbia both have really cool science departments.”

Harley managed a small smile. “Yeah, they sure do.”

“I wouldn’t want to leave New York, it’s kinda… my city. I’ve been here my whole life so maybe I should want to leave but I really don’t.”

“If you like it why would you want to leave?” Harley shrugged and stirred his hot chocolate. He looked at the drink suspiciously before taking another cautious sip. It was still hot and with his burnt tongue the temperature seemed to be higher than it actually was but no new burns were added so he declared it safe to drink. 

“Cooled down enough?” Peter asked, taking a sip from his own chocolate now as well and humming in approval. 

“Did you seriously wait for me to test the waters before you tried?” Harley asked in disbelief and Peter sent him his sweetest smile. It was foul play because everyone and their mother knew Harley would do anything to see that smile. Burning his tongue was now apparently also on the list. He tsked and shook his head in disappointment. “This is a harsh world we’re living in.”

Peter sighed. “It sure is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dyslexic myself but I do my best to research and educate myself as much as I can before writing about topics I have no experience with personally. If I have any dyslexic readers or people who have more experience with it I'd be happy to hear about it and maybe fire some questions your way so I can portray Peter more accurately.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw the idea to make Peter dyslexic came from Tom actually being dyslexic.  
> There are a lot of elements in this inspired by Tom.

“Hey dad?”

Tony hummed absentmindedly. He could multi-task somewhat alright. Not to the extent that Pepper could do it but he’d be okay with two tasks at once. This wiring simply needed to be very precise and he had to concentrate on it with most of his brain capacity. 

“Would it be possible for you to… pay someone’s tuition?”

Tony’s hand twitched and a bunch of sparks jumped up. He quickly leaned back, avoiding several scars being added to his face or his neatly trimmed facial hair being set aflame before realizing he was looking through a magnifying glass so the sparks had been barely noticeable. He pushed up his glasses and turned in his swivel chair to look at Harley who was fiddling with a pen. “Technically… yes.” Because he was a billionaire. The question was; why would he need to? “Why? You wanna get another degree after the first one?” Tony teased and had expected to launch into a round of banter with his son but Harley just continued staring down at the papers on his desk. The pen in his hand thumped against the table absentmindedly.

“It’s not about me,” Harley said, turning his chair from left to right. He had always been very energetic, enough that Tony had worried about his academics for a while but with a bit of discipline on Harley’s part he had done just fine. Maybe it was also due to the slight coffee addiction both father and son suffered from. Perhaps letting a thirteen year-old drink coffee had not been his wisest decision.

“No?” Now Tony was curious. He put aside the tweezers and offered his son his undivided attention. Listening was important, showing you were listening was at least equally as important.

Harley sighed and ran a hand through his hair. The internal struggle displayed on his face and Tony wondered what this was actually about. Harley rarely had a problem to speak his mind, he had grown up around Tony who never moderated his words except he was around those he really cared about and even then he usually didn’t. He simply had less snarky and snobby things to say. Seeing him considering his words this carefully was very much out of the ordinary. For a moment Tony worried Harley had messed something up with his studies but then he remembered his son was too invested into learning to let that happen and he had clearly stated it wasn’t about him. 

“It’s about Peter.”

Tony’s eyebrows crawled up his forehead. “Peter?” He had wondered what Peter was studying. Harley had never mentioned it and neither had Peter. Heeding Friday’s previous advice Tony hadn’t asked but he had assumed Peter was attending university. The kid had read several complex papers about new discoveries, he was up to date with his science and the concepts he could keep up with were nothing they taught in high school. He was smart, perhaps even a genius but even geniuses needed to educate themselves. One never stopped learning. 

There was not much to work with here. Tony only knew this was about Peter and vaguely something about student loans. He could put two and two together, knowing Peter was not from a high income family, and assume it was about Peter being short on money for his studies so Tony took an educated guess. “Is Peter struggling to pay his tuition?” 

Harley’s grimace could mean a lot of things. It could be a confirmation or denial but Tony wasn’t sure which one he should go with. He couldn’t think of anything else being related to both things simultaneously though. 

“Kind of,” Harley mumbled. He tapped his pen against the table several more times before putting it aside and facing Tony properly. So this wasn’t something casual. Tony should have known. Harley only ever got like this when it was important and personal. These were the times to prove Tony was a trustworthy and understanding parent. This was the time to listen properly and take whatever it was seriously. 

“Peter isn’t in university.”

Tony blinked. He… was not? This was… certainly a surprise. “Okay,” he said slowly. Harley didn’t look like he would continue so Tony chose to prod gently because he was curious. “Is there a reason?” There had to be because someone like Peter not attaining a higher education was almost a crime.

Harley bobbed his knee, avoiding eye contact. “Promise me to keep this a secret?”

This was not the answer Tony had expected but it is the one he got. Trust in your child and having their trust was vital for any parent. Besides, he wouldn’t go babbling about any struggles his son’s boyfriend had. Peter was a sweet kid and whatever was going on was obviously not suitable for small talk. “Of course.”

A heavy sighed escaped Harley, shoulders slumping in defeat. Tony felt the urge to cheer him up but he couldn’t do anything to fix the problem as long as he didn’t know what the problem was. He decided to wait and was rewarded when Harley started speaking again. “Peter didn’t tell me until… pretty recently actually. I had no idea but um… he…” Harley scratched the back of one of his hands and looked over at Tony. “Do you know what dyslexia is?”

Again, not what Tony had expected. He had to think for a moment and tried to derive the meaning from Latin but came up a bit short-handed. Languages not involving computers, English or Italian had not been his strongest suit in school. “I have a vague idea but nothing specific.” He could conclude it had something to do with words but that was about it.

“It’s a learning or reading disability that affects your ability to read and write. Has nothing to do with intelligence or anything. It’s just-” Harley gestured to his head vaguely- “something’s wired differently so it’s more difficult to process.” He pushed his chair back and forth. The way he said it let Tony assume he had done some research of his own. How he felt the need to add it had nothing to do with intelligence hinted at this being a very common misconception. 

“He has it… Peter,” Harley clarified.

Tony hummed softly, not quite sure what else to say. His first thought was ‘I had no idea’ but then he realized how stupid this train of thought was. Of course he had no idea. He rarely asked people to read things to him or write anything down. Why would he ever ask this of Peter? Obviously he wouldn’t have known. It is nothing like a birthmark in plain sight or a vision impairment publicly proclaimed by the person in question wearing glasses. It wasn’t anything someone would notice without being in the known unless they were trained to look for the signs.

“His GPA and SAT score sucks because of that, teachers didn’t give him more time for exams or anything. So his grades are… pretty bad and he couldn’t get any scholarships and without those he can’t afford university so he couldn't go.” Harley’s brows furrowed in anger. “Which is bullshit because Peter is smart as fuck but because he can’t read at the same speed or write without having people spellcheck he can’t attend university although he wants to.”

Ah, Tony was starting to see the problem. “So if I’m hearing this correctly then Peter has a disability and his teachers refused to accommodate that.” Harley nodded grimly. “Which then resulted in a perfectly qualified student being denied access to higher education.” Harley nodded again. Tony hummed. This was really a no-brainer. He has known Peter personally for a few months now. The boy came over regularly and was always a delight to have around. He was nice and kind and genuinely interested in whatever Tony was working on in his lab. Peter had this undeniable charm about him which almost forced people to like him. Not just this but Tony saw how he and Harley interacted, how nicely they fit together and how happy they made one another. He couldn’t think of anyone else being more deserving of a scholarship. “Well, I guess scholarships are now parts of Stark Industries. Let me get Pepper on that. Does Peter want to go anywhere specific?”

Harley looked at Tony for all of two seconds before breaking into a smile and shaking his head. What had he expected? His father was known for his impulse decision. “We might have to talk to him first because he’s gonna freak and refuse. He has his issues with accepting money so just throwing it at him won’t do any good. And he’s helping May so… we gotta talk to him first so he can sort some stuff out.” Hell would freeze over before Peter dropped helping his aunt. It could be an alien invasion or an post-apocalyptic world and he’d still try to help her run the café.

This thought process and thinking ahead was strangely mature for Harley. Usually he was the one to jump the gun together with his dad but it was nice to hear he took a moment to think things over. Tony smiled and nodded his head. “Alright, but tell your boyfriend he just has to say one word and he’ll get a full ride to any university of his choice, housing, food, books, tuition, everything covered.”

Harley grinned. “Did I ever tell you that you’re a really cool dad?”

Tony laughed, turning his chair back around to his wires. “Occasionally, but I could stand to hear it more often.”

“Nah, inflates your ego too much.”

“We both have too much ego already, buddy.”

“Amen to that.”

As expected Peter flipped his shit when Harley brought it up almost a week later. He had been stressing about how to approach the topic because he didn’t want Peter to think he was… ignoring Peter’s struggles and thought he could solve everything by just throwing money at it. He genuinely wanted to help and this was the one thing he could do. So when they were lounging on Peter’s bed in the apartment he shared with his aunt Harley spent about thirty minutes mustering up the courage to let the cat out of the bag while Peter was reading a book.

“You can go to university,” Harley blurted because somehow he stopped thinking properly around his boyfriend. Peter lowered his book and looked at him for a long moment, confusion swimming in his eyes before his expression morphed into that… that  _ look _ . The sad smile saying ‘it’s sweet that you’re trying to cheer me up but we both know it’s useless’ and Harley hated it because it was so… so  _ final _ . Like Peter had accepted this a long time ago and Harley was just opening up old wounds, scratching at barely-healed cuts until they were bleeding again. Just seeing this resigned look on Peter’s face hurt him. 

“We talked about this,” Peter said as if he was patiently explaining why getting angry over silly things was pointless to a child. “I can’t. It’s fine.”

“No, but you can,” Harley insisted. “If you get a scholarship-”

“I told you-”

“Yeah but-”

“Harley.” Peter’s voice was soft. The tired, sad kind of soft. Not the ‘I love you so much’ kind of soft and Harley hated it. Peter looked up at him and whatever was swimming in his eyes was sad but also pleading Harley to please just… stop talking about it It felt like a punch to the gut, like someone was squeezing Harley’s heart in an iron grip and it stole his ability to form coherent thoughts. Peter looked back down to his book that he was reading, hoping this ended the conversation before it had even started properly. He didn’t want to talk about it. It was the reason why he almost never brought it up and why none of his friends brought it up. They knew Peter wanted to but that he couldn’t. Poking the topic repeatedly wouldn’t make it any better. 

“Peter,” Harley almost pleaded, trying get the other to look at him again. He shifted on the bed to face his boyfriend who was still focusing on the page in front of him pointedly. “Listen, I know what you’re going to say-”

“Then don’t make me say it.” Peter didn’t sound angry or annoyed, he sounded tired if anything and that was even worse. He didn’t even have the energy to get angry about this anymore. 

Harley made an unhappy noise. He didn’t like where this conversation was going at all. Why on earth was he so bad at this? “No, but you can still go. When you get a scholarship-”

Peter snapped his book shut. The sound made Harley flinch and he just watched while Peter took a deep breath in order to remain collected. Harley wanted to apologize immediately but Peter’s gaze was piercing. He was getting upset which is not what Harley wanted, not at all.

“Were you listening when I told you about this?” Peter asked. “Did it slip your mind that I’m academically not qualified for a scholarship?”

“The fuck you are,” Harley protested without having to think about it. It was the most absurd thing he had ever heard. If anyone was qualified it would be Peter. “A fucking piece of paper is bullshit.”

Peter scoffed. “That fucking piece of paper decided I’m not qualified and that’s all they care about.”

“That’s not true.”

“Well, it’s not like I can bribe my way in, Harley,” Peter said, his voice slowly leaning towards fed up.

This was not how this was supposed to go and Harley needed a moment to grasp how they had even ended up here. This had been supposed to be a thoughtful conversation, this was supposed to make Peter happy, not angry or annoyed. This wasn’t supposed to open up old wounds. Harley mostly blamed his poor communication skills for how the conversation had turned out instead and he really needed to work on this immediately. “We can pay for it.” Maybe not that immediately. 

Peter frowned at him. “You’re gonna pay me so I can bribe my way into a university? I don’t know what planet you came from but here we call that illegal in case you didn’t know.”

Harley grunted. Peter only got this defensive when he felt like someone who should know better was attacking him where it really hurt and it took a lot to get him to this point. Harley was doing something seriously, seriously wrong.He took a deep breath, held it for five seconds and then let it out to clear his head. “Okay, restart. Can we do this again?”

Peter’s frown stayed in place with some added confusion. He shook his head and opened his book again, physically trying to show the conversation was over. “I’d rather not.”

“I’ll do a better job this time,” Harley said, gently tugging Peter’s book down - which was really a risky move, he was aware - and leaning towards him. He figured he needed to be more direct otherwise Peter would just remain upset and would react even worse the next time he brought it up. “What I’m so inadequately trying to say is; you don’t need to apply for an scholarship, you’re being offered one.” Perhaps it was still too cryptic. 

“By whom?” Peter asked, still standoffish and somewhat reluctant. The grip on his book was tight in case he felt like swatting Harley with it. His gaze was also distrusting which made Harley nervous but he had to keep the ball rolling.

“Stark Industries.”

It took a moment but then Peter did that… that  _ disappointed _ thing. The sighing and slumping in defeat. Just like when your best friend’s lover was a cheating asshole and your friend had just cried their eyes out about them but now decided to give them their third rather undeserving chance because they were oh so on love with that asshole and just needed to win them back because obviously it had been their fault that their partner had cheated. At least it was how it felt. Harley didn’t want to make a comparison like this but it was the only thing that came to his mind where someone would show the same kind of reaction.

“Harley… no,” Peter said weakly, slumping back against the wall. 

“Harley yes,” Harley insisted.

“I can’t just… take your money that’s…”

“Technically it’s my dad’s money.” Maybe not the wisest thing to say.

“That’s even worse!” Peter whined and buried his face in his hand. “No, I… I can’t do that.”

“You sound like I’m asking you to commit a crime,” Harley said sadly. “You can go to university that way and you won’t have to worry about tuition and a scholarship from Stark Industries can get you basically anywhere.”

Peter made a distressed noise behind his hands. “That’s… No!”

“Why not?” Harley wasn’t sure he understood the problem. To some degree he did because he knew how Peter was but still. He didn’t fully understand but was willing to try even just so he could convince Peter otherwise.

“Because,” Peter lowered his hands, his expression frantic, “because then I’d get into university because of someone else’s money and someone else’s good name and I’m academically not qualified! My grades were shit, my score was-”

“No stop.” Harley held up his hand, eyes determinate. Peter snapped his mouth shut. “Your grades were shit because they had a shitty way of testing your abilities, not because you are not qualified. You can calculate things in your head that most people don’t even know how to put into a calculator, you know all elements of the periodic table, you read research papers in your spare time. You can keep up with people who are literally already attending university.” Harley leaned closer, pushing his way between Peter’s knees. Thankfully the other let him. “The only reason why a university would reject you is because all they see of you is one fucking piece of paper with a name and some numbers on it. If that and some money is all that’s keeping you from getting in then that’s bullshit and unfair and we can fix that.”

Peter looked at him with such a vulnerable expression, it tore Harley’s heart to pieces. “I… I can’t do that…” he stammered, voice weak. 

Harley crawled even closer and tried to catch his gaze. “You’re not doing anything bad, Pete. You’re accepting a bit of help because society is shit and the system is working against you. We’re just giving you a small push.”

“It’s thousands of dollars,” Peter argued weakly. He was doing the thing where he listed ever possible inconvenience he could think of in an attempt to convince someone it was a bad idea. Sadly he usually applied this to himself just like he had done when he had told Harley about his dyslexia.

“Yeah and my dad is a billionaire.” Harley smiled sadly. “I know I usually tone it down but trust me when I say we are literally swimming in money. We could send you to university for twenty degrees on a full scholarship every time and not even see a dent. It’s pocket money. I know that doesn’t really make you feel better about accepting it because I know you don’t want to accept it but we want to offer it. We want you to have. I want you to have it because I know you want to go to university.”

Peter swallowed heavily and looked away. “You make me wanna have it but I shouldn’t.”

“Whoever put that stupid American-Dream idea in your head should be fired. Your teachers too,” Harley grumbled. “You’re allowed to accept help. You don’t have to do it on your own because… you know you wouldn’t be able to without making huge sacrifices. You’re in the worst possible position and it won’t magically get better because the entire thing is stupid. You’ll just be stuck forever but you can do so much more. I don’t want you to be in this… in this miserable loop for all of eternity because you can’t read fast enough for some people.”

It was silent for maybe a few seconds too long. Peter made a sound and- … oh fuck, was that a sniffle? Harley’s brain came to a screeching halt. He hadn’t realized the gravity of the words he had just uttered. Peter made the sound again, shaky and almost like a hiccup. He raised on hand to his face, wiping at his eyes before literally crumbling in front of Harley’s eyes. He curled up into a small, pitiful ball and Harley felt like… like a monster. He had made Peter cry for fuck’s sake!

“Shit, I-” he was panicking, downright freaking out. What was he even doing?! “I’m sorry, that was so stupid. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean- I… I’m sorry- shit.” He hovered around Peter, not knowing if he should touch him or not, if maybe that would be bad. He had fucked this up in every way possible, hadn’t he? He felt like crying himself. “I didn’t mean to say it like that… god I’m so fucking stupid, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you doing this to me?” Peter whimpered and Harley swore his eyes were getting teary as well. Was it normal to have his heart hurting so much? Was he getting a heart attack. 

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to help. I love you, I’m sorry-”

Peter shook his head and sniffed, grabbing hold of Harley’s hoodie and tugging him closer. Harley had actually expected to be shoved off the bed and be kicked out of the door so it took a moment for his brain to catch up. He then shuffled forward awkwardly, inching closer until Peter stopped pulling and they were left curled up together. Peter pressed closer to Harley, ducking under his chin and Harley wasn’t sure what he was doing but wrapping his arms around Peter was something he did without having to think about it. He wrapped all of his limbs around his crying boyfriend like the octopus-leech he was and rubbed his back soothingly. 

Neither of them said anything for a long while. Peter seemed to have calmed down a bit from his outburst but he was still sniffling occasionally and using his sleeve to wipe away stray tears. Harley was afraid of what he’d say because he had once again said something stupid. Usually it was something to laugh about or shrug off. Peter knew when he was being serious and when he was just clumsily stumbling over his words because his brain was a mess but this time it had been personal. 

“You’re right,” Peter croaked after an eternity of silence, Harley angling his head down to look at him. “About… about the thing… I don’t want you to be right but you’re right.” Peter sniffed, head hung low in defeat.

Harley hummed sadly, trying to convey he didn’t want to be right either. He didn’t want his boyfriend’s reading ability - in simple terms - to be the reason why he couldn’t do what he wanted to do. This whole thing sucked. He knew Peter wanted to be independant and didn't want to rely an the support of someone else. Heck, he didn’t even want to depend on his own aunt who had raised him. He didn’t want to feel like a burden to anyone. Harley wouldn’t like the idea of depending on someone either but he had the luxury of not needing it and never having to think about it. “I’m sorry,” he said because he was really, really bad at this and but Peter shook his head. “No, it’s… it’s okay.”

Harley didn’t think so but kept quiet. He didn’t want to make it worse again by arguing about unnecessary things. Instead they snuggled some more, staying close and wrapped around one another on Peter’s bed with just their heartbeats and their breaths to keep them company. 

“Can I… think about it?” Peter asked faintly.

Harley needed a moment to make the connection. “Of course. You can think about it as long as you want. This won’t suddenly disappear.”

Peter hummed uncertainly. “I just don’t want to… to use someone else to get in or… not get in because of… me.”

“You could do a project or something and submit that for the scholarship,” Harley suggested carefully. “I mean, you’d get it no matter what but I know you’d come up with something cool and we could sent it as an application with a letter of recommendation from Tony Stark. It wouldn’t be just some else’s name then.”

“I doubt anyone would say no to anything coming from Tony Stark,” Peter mumbled. “But yeah, I think I’d feel a bit better with that. Show that I can actually do something.”

“You can do anything,” Harley hummed and kissed the top of Peter’s head. “Love you,” he mumbled into his boyfriend’s hair and Peter smiled softly, hands curling into Harley’s hoodie. “Love you too.”

Peter took his time to think about the offer. Harley didn’t bring it up again. He wanted to sometimes but he didn’t. Peter wouldn’t suddenly forget something like this so he didn’t need to remind him. Instead he let it go and did everything as they had done before while he waited for Peter to make his decision. Harley could see that even his dad wanted to bring it up sometimes when Peter was over but he restrained himself quite well, usually only pestering Harley with questions. Neither of them were good at waiting but they were willing to do it for Peter’s sake. 

Harley sometimes dropped hints which he knew Peter understood because his boyfriend always had  _ that look _ in his eyes but neither of them called attention to it. Harley just waited patiently and hoped it would work because Peter deserved it, he really did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually really like the conversation between Harley and Peter.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the squad joins!

It felt like he was melting. Like his skin was slowly turning into liquid and running down his bones. Even with nothing more than a T-shirt and shorts Harley was still steaming in the sweltering heat of New York City in late July. There was a reason why he liked air conditioned rooms, why he avoided the crowded tourist attractions like Times Square when even just walking was too much of a hassle.

New York was never empty. The city was simply too big for that to ever happen but the summer was considerably more crowded than the winter. Young couples on their honeymoon, groups of students celebrating their graduation or just a simple get-away from school, families in between because this was the only time they could go, fascinated photographers, instagram models who posed in the middle of the sidewalk and amidst this all this Harley, scowl hidden behind sunglasses and hair sticking to his neck uncomfortably. He desperately wanted to jump into a pool or ride a motorcycle on the highway just to get some cool air. The walk from the tower to the café was about twenty blocks which wasn’t far for someone from New York but it was fucking hot, okay?

And Harley was sweating. A lot.

When he pushed open the door of the café a gust of cool air welcomed him and Harley breathed out in relief. It wasn’t freezing, thankfully, but nice and cool. There was a small line waiting in front of the counter to make their order, the display of pastries was slowly emptying and Peter was busy making several orders at once. He only glanced up for a split second when he heard the bell but realized it was Harley and sent him a genuine smile. Even after months of knowing each other, two months of dating and about a year of officially being boyfriends, Harley still had this fuzzy feeling in his chest when Peter smiled at him like this. It was just a natural reaction for him, he had no control over it and he never wanted it to stop. 

Harley stalked over to where two tables were pushed together and flopped down next to MJ who grinned at him. “Well, you’re looking sunny,” she teased and he scoffed. 

“My skin was getting roasted. It’s way too hot outside.”

“Yeah which is why I wanna know what you’ve planned.”

Harley smirked, trying to ignore how his shirt was sweaty. “Not gonna tell ya. But it’ll be better than being stuck inside or sweating your ass off.”

“I’d hope so,” Sally said. “Because I was planning on just lazing around and I sweated more than I’d like coming here.”

“Dude, I had to ride the subway,” Abe said. “Do you know how disgusting that is around this time?”

“Not like the subway is pleasant any other time,” Cindy muttered. 

“I saw a guy feeding a rat just a few days ago.” Charles shuddered at the memory. 

“I’m so glad I don’t have to take the subway too often,” Betty said.

Harley just smiled. After getting to know Peter’s two best friends more he had also been invited to the bi-weekly meetups with their high school decathlon team. Not everyone had stayed in contact, some guy named Flash had apparently been kicked out of the group chat at some point. These eight, however, had remained close and Harley had somehow ended up in their group as well and it was nice, really nice. He didn’t know many people around his age so having made eight new friends in such a short amount of time was amazing. 

Well, seven new friends and one boyfriend. The boyfriend was the best part of it. 

“I’m just happy when I finally get somewhere where I can cool off,” Ned sighed and slowly slid down the bench next to Betty. 

“Oh we can cool off a lot,” Harley said with a grin.

“Don’t sound so ominous, you’re making me nervous,” Cindy said, grimacing.

They waited for Peter to get off work, the new part time worker doing her best to handle everything alone until May joined her a few minutes later. When Peter emerged after putting away his apron Harley finally got a good look at him and squinted. “Where are your glasses?” he asked as Peter put a cup of iced coffee onto the table, undoubtedly for Harley because Peter still didn’t drink coffee. Harley took it with a grateful hum and started sipping through the silicone straw. At least the cold drink helped a bit to battle the heat still clinging to him. The thought of going back outside was not a pleasant one.

“Lost in the seventh dimension of space. A wormhole as eaten them, stretched thin by time.” Peter waved his hand around mysteriously. “By the way, did you know you could potentially see the back of your own head when the gravity of a black hole is strong enough to bend light?”

Harley blinked a few times and then shook his head, straw caught between his teeth as he spoke around it. “No and I don’t plan on ever approaching a black hole.”

Peter grinned. “Good plan.” He then shrugged. “The glasses were really dirty so I gave them to the optician this morning. They do it at some point throughout the day so I’ll pick them up later.”

“So you’re going blind?” Because Peter without his glasses was a good as a mole in broad daylight. Peter’s words. Harley would never describe his boyfriend as a mole. Maybe… maybe a bunny or a puppy. This train of thought was getting weird.

“Have you ever heard of contacts?”

Harley opened his mouth in realization, straw falling out. “Ah.”

Peter snorted. “Yeah. So now I feel naked and I keep trying to find my glasses.” He reached up to readjust said missing glasses like he usually did. He then glanced at the ceiling as he berated himself upon finding them missing for surely the unempth time today. “The last time I didn’t have them on was when May’s mom wanted to take a family picture on Christmas and specifically ordered me to leave my glasses at home because ‘no one in the family wears glasses’.” 

May’s mom had some strange vendetta against Peter because he was not related to May and therefore apparently did not belong to the family. Peter had told Harley May had refused contact with her mom for a long time after Ben had died because she had made such a fuss her her daughter ‘keeping that child’. It had gotten better since then but the woman still dropped some strange comments every now and then. May usually yelled at her for it and Peter had to calm her down. He wasn’t really bothered by it anymore. Didn’t mean he liked hearing those comments but he mostly ignored then or just went with whatever that woman said to keep the peace.

“Objection,” Abe said and raised his hand. Everyone looked at him. “Was this before or after you got a football in your face during PE?”

Peter grimaced as his friends snickered. “If you have to know, it was after. Thank you.” It was not a nice memory and his glasses had been ruined. Ned had to walk with him for the rest of the day because Peter couldn’t see shit.

Abe nodded in satisfaction.

“Well, your face is still pretty even after a close encounter with a football, with or without glasses,” Harley said with a nod after taking another sip of coffee. 

“Aw, thanks.” Peter bent down to kiss him and then quickly pulled away while he made a face. “You taste like coffee.”

“I wonder why that is,” Harley said. “Alright then, fellow nerdship. Let’s get to it.” He was allowed to say this because he was a nerd and everyone who took decathlon seriously was automatically also a nerd. That said, the word ‘nerd’ had absolutely no negative connotation in their group. It was simply a statement, a fact, a part of their personality that none of them denied. 

Peter settled in the spot next to him and everyone around the tables squeeze together. Nine people and just two tables was a bit of a tight fit but they’d make do. 

“Alright, Harley, spill the beans. I’m kind of scared to ask actually,” Betty said. 

“I’m not ganna tell you what exactly we’re gonna do,” Harley said and everyone groaned. “ _ But _ I’ll tell you what to bring.”

“So like an overnight thing?” Charles asked. 

Harley tilted his head. “Think more along the lines of seven nights or so.” Everyone stared at him with big eyes. Peter turned to him with a confused expression. It was silent for a while and Harley let them sort this out on their own.

“Wait,” Abe shook his head. “Did you say seven nights?”

Harley nodded. “Yup, or longer, depending. Oh and most important; bring your passport. You will need it.”

“Wait,” Abe repeated, more frantically this time.

“I don’t have the money for seven nights if we’re leaving the country!” Ned squeaked. “Wait, we’re leaving the country?!”

“What?” Betty shrieked. 

Harley raised his hands as if to calm a frantic crowd. “Okay, first of all, we don’t have to pay for it. Promise, it’s taken care of. Second, yeah, we’re probably leaving the country if you are all on board.”

“Probably?” MJ asked, also a bit confused although she wouldn’t like to admit it. 

“And third-” Harley turned towards Peter- “I asked May and it’s fine.”

Peter closed his mouth from where he had wanted to protest. Leaving for several days meant he couldn’t work and he couldn’t drop than on May without any warning. It was nice to know Harley had thought of that. It soothed some of his worries.

“Oh… well, if May’s fine with it then I’m cool,” MJ said with a shrug. Peter looked at her strangely but also considered and then nodded slowly. May’s approval was like a universal sign of approval and was generally accepted within the group as the one and only truth. “Okay.”

Harley nodded his head in a pleased manner. “Alright so there are a few things you should bring.” He went off to list things, the girls were smart enough to make lists on their phones while the guys tried to memories. Once they realized they were most certainly going to fail at it they asked the girls to please send the list into the groupchat. They just rolled their eyes, having expected this exact outcome.

“Also,” Harley added, “I heard that girls apparently need like 5 millions bikinis so just… bring as many as you like I guess?”

“So there is gonna be water,” Charles concluded. 

“Smart deduction,” Harley teased with a grin. “Alright, I think that’s all from my side.”

“Thanks, I feel wholefully unprepared,” Betty muttered. “You sure we don’t have to pay anything? I feel bad if I don’t give anything at all.”

Harley waved his hand. “You don’t need to pay for anything, promise. Don’t worry about it.”

Betty agreed begrudgingly. Not having to pay was good for poor students like themselves. She wouldn’t argue too much when Harley said it was taken care of.

They tried to get more information out of Harley regarding their destination but he refused to give them anything vital. In the end they gave up, Harley coming out of this victorious. He told them to be at the café at six am in two days to which they agreed after some complaining. Six am was simply too early for their liking.

“You’ve planned something big, haven’t you?” Peter asked later and Harley just smiled innocently. “Maybe, but it’s cool and I really wanna do it with you all.”

Peter sighed in defeat. Arguing with Harley over these things was pointless and he was kind of looking forward to it as well. May was fine with it so it shouldn’t be something as absurd as a trip to the Moon. “Fine.”

Two days later at six am the eight friends were gathered in fornt of the café and waiting for Harley to join them. They all had luggage with them, some a small suitcase and some big duffle bags. Betty had a sunhat placed atop her head, MJ had her nose in a book - undoubtedly having packed at least five or six - and Ned had surely packed his entirety of hawaiian shirts.

“So you couldn’t get more out of him?” Sally asked. Her own luggage was a white duffle bag with wheels, the print was flower-themed with tropical elements. Clipped to the handle was a matching smaller bag for cosmetics.

Peter sighed. “No, he wouldn’t tell me either. He gets like that, can be really stubborn.”

Sally grumbled. “If I packed the wrong things because he didn’t tell us I’m gonna be mad.” Her short jump suit seemed to be the perfect attire for this weather and Harley had said it was going to be as warm as in New York and maybe even hotter. 

A large black car pulled up to them and stopped right in front of the café. The girls took a collective step back without even thinking about the reaction - even MJ with her book - until the door slid open and Harley jumped out. “Alright, nerd squad, in you go.” He gestured towards the van like a tour guide. He was in light blue shorts and a white top. Sunglasses were peeking out of his curly hair and a pair of orange flip flops adorned his feet. He really did look like a frazzled tour guide on a cruise.

“Oh we’re getting kidnapped.” MJ closed her book and grabbed the straps of her dark blue duffle bag. “Nice. I’ve always wanted to get kidnapped.” Coming from MJ this wasn’t even anything weird. 

Peter was one of the last to climb in after Ned and flopped down in the first row on the right next to the window. “Hey Happy,” he said towards the man in the driver’s seat. “You coming with us?” Happy pulled a sour face. “Sadly yes. Don’t know when that was written down as my job but apparently now kiddie parties are part of it.”

Peter smiled softly. The man was always a little grumpy but he had his heart in the right placed and cared more than he let on. Surely a bunch of young adults wasn’t the most fun group to look after but Peter would have been surprised if Mr. Stark hadn’t sent someone with them. Not that Harley wasn’t trustworthy but he did occasionally need someone to keep him in check. Happy knew him like the back of his hand and while Harley might not like listening to people he’d at least somewhat listen to Happy when the situation called for it.

“Oh, quit moping, Happy. We’re gonna have fun.” Harley stuck his head between the seats in the front after he had closed the door behind himself. Happy’s frown deepened. “I need to ask for a raise,” he muttered as he pulled into the street.

“Is this gonna be a long drive?” Charles called from the last row.

“Happy?” Harley asked. 

“Bout forty minutes, depends on traffic.”

“Who’s that?” Cindy asked the question everyone must have been wondering

“That’s Happy, my dad’s chauffeur.”

“I’m way more than just a chauffeur, you brat.”

“Yeah, you’re also “security”.”

“I can feel the quotations marks and I’m telling you they have no place there.”

There was their usual banter, Peter snickered. Harley stuck his tongue out at Happy who sighed and muttered something along the lines of ‘this is gonna be a long week’ to himself.

“Your dad has a chauffeur?” Cindy asked completely baffled.

“Among other things,” Harley said evasively. Peter just stared ahead because he could feel everyone’s eyes burning holes into him. “Who wants the AUX cord?” Harley asked, completely ignoring everyone’s astonishment, and suddenly nothing else matter anymore as everyone fought over the cable. Happy’s expression was one of pure pain as ‘Bad Guy’ by Billie Eilish started playing and half the car sang along. They didn’t stop until they were almost at their destination. Abe made a strangled sound as they passed the sign saying Teterboro Airport. Happy flashed his ID to some security personnel and was waved through.

“Dude!” Abe was practically glued to the window. “DUDE!”

“What?” Charles almost climbed on top of his friend, now also seeing the jets parked along the terminal. “What the fuck?!”

Peter sighed and looked at Harley who just smiled innocently. “It’s not too crazy, I promise,” Harley said quietly and Peter shook his head. “We have very different definitions of that, Harls.”

Harley just continued smiling and patted his boyfriend’s knee. “Don’t worry about it. It’s gonna be fun. I’ve done this many times before.” Peter decided he’d probably be better off not worrying about anything and would try to to follow this logic for the rest of the trip which had barely even started. 

Happy parked the car and ushered everyone out. “Alright, everybody follow me,” he announced with a apparent lack of enthusiasm. He lead them over the tarmac towards an awaiting obviously private plane. Abe and Charles were shouting like kids while jumping up and down excitedly. Betty had whipped out her phone and was making a video. Sally was clutching onto Cindy’s arm and shaking her repeatedly.

“Is there something about Harley you haven’t told us?” MJ’s voice was suddenly in Peter’s ear and he almost jumped out of his skin. He whirled around to her raising her eyebrows in amusement. “You don’t seem very surprised.”

“I… perhaps?” Peter stuttered as an answer to her question. There was no point in trying to hide something from MJ. She might not know what exactly was going on but she was more perceptive than others and knew when something was going. “Not really something I’d just throw out there though.”

MJ hummed thoughtfully. She eyed him once more before shrugging and walking past him. “Well, if it makes for a good vacation I’m on board.” She climbed up the stairs into the jet with Peter close behind her while a man in a perfectly pressed uniform took care of their luggage. Peter didn’t have the time to feel self-conscious about his ratty duffle bag. Especially not next to Betty’s and Cindy’s pristine suitcases.

The interior of the jet was as luxurious as one would expect from a private plane. Happy immediately went towards the back, presumably to hide from the kids somewhere where he could have some peace and quiet. The others were running around and exploring the plane. Everything looked expensive, starting from the floor to the seats, the freaking couch and tables and even the lights. There was a big TV, a small bar and even plants on the window ledges. It was ridiculous and Peter couldn’t believe people actually owned things like this. Then again, he had been to the Stark Tower many, many times. He knew this was just a tiny fraction of what Mr. Stark, and therefore also Harley, actually owned. It was still somewhat strange to see these things existing outside of Instagram and magazines though. To use a private plane himself without having to pay even a dollar for it was an out of body experience. 

A woman in a smart outfit, with perfect makeup and a wonderful smile offered Peter a glass of water upon his entry. Without thinking he accepted it, too baffled to do anything else and took a few sips. This water was surely more expensive than whatever he was currently wearing. The shorts had been with him since his third year of high school and the print of the shirt was slowly fading. Not to mention his flip flops.

“Dude, what the hell?” Ned asked as he carefully sat down in a plush seat. He looked afraid of putting his hands and his glass of water anywhere and sat like a statue before he allowed himself to relax. “Is your dad like… rich or something?”

Peter choked on his water and tried to suppress coughing his lungs up. 

Harley flopped into a seat carelessly and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess.” He grinned. “We have Mario Kart in here.” With that everyone’s attention was diverted. Except for MJ’s, she wagged her eyebrows at Peter who was wiping some expensive water from his chin as he sat down next to her on the couch. “Don’t,” Peter sighed and waved his hand. “Just… don’t.”

She snickered and went back to her book. 

“Hey babes, you wanna have Yoshi?” Harley asked as he waved around a controller. 

Suddenly the expensive water and all other worries were forgotten as Peter reached for the controller. “Gimme, I’m gonna destroy you all on rainbow road!” His proclamation was met with several loud protests from the other contestants.

The flight was about three hours but it went by in a blink on an eye. They got an assortment of delicious snacks, the nice lady brought them drinks and a big plate of miniature pizzas that was devoured within moments. Like the blessing she was she pulled another one out of thin air. Peter was convinced she was some sort of magician because whatever they dared to ask for, she delivered only moments later while never losing her smile. It didn’t seem fake either. She also didn’t stagger around in ridiculously high heeled shoes and a short skirt like the flight attendants in movies did. Peter had never been on an airplane so he didn’t know if all flight attendants were like this but if they were then they must all be very special because she managed to make everyone feel comfortable while maintaining a professional attitude none of them were used to. 

About two and a half hours into their flight their pilot asked them to please take a seat because they were approaching Miami and were about to descend. The seatbelt sign came on with a happy little ding.

Miami. Peter couldn’t believe it. He had been to Boston, Washington and Virginia Beach once each with May and Ben but apart from occasional day trips to Long Island he hadn’t really seen anything of the States, much less of the rest of the world. They couldn’t afford it and they couldn’t leave the café alone since it was their only source of income and rent was expensive. Miami was like… halfway across the planet for Peter. Logically he knew he was still within the same country but it felt strangely foreign nevertheless. 

Actually, there had been this wild trip to Europe with his class several years ago. It was the only reason why Peter even had a passport. The trip had been… strange to say the least with them being relocated and upgraded to fancy hotels without anyone knowing why but no one had complained. 

Everyone had their own window to gaze out of and take in the ocean in the distance, the skyscrapers and the winding roads. Surely it wasn’t different from New York, it was just as much a big city with tall buildings, but it felt different. There were boats scattered across the bay area, tiny enough to be mistaken as seagulls swimming atop the waves. The plane was meanwhile slowly moving downwards, the pilot adjusting the course with precision. It was a strange feeling when the plane tilted, it made Peter’s stomach swoop but in a funny way. He didn’t feel unsafe but it was still a strange feeling. The wheels were lowered and everything jerked when they met the tarmac. As far as Peter was able to judge it had been a smooth landing.

“Welcome to Miami, it’s currently 90° with clear skies and a light breeze. Please enjoy your stay and take care,” the pilot said after bringing the plane to a stop in front of the terminal. Happy reappeared like a ghost which had been summoned, still in his suit and with a deadpan expression on his face. “This is our stop,” he said like it wasn’t obvious. Perhaps sometimes it wasn’t. Peter had no idea how this worked. Maybe private airplanes had several stops like a bus did. Everyone exited the jet and the man in uniform - the co-pilot perhaps? - unloaded their luggage with care and precision. Peter couldn’t stop staring. This was all so strange to him.

Like a row of ducklings they were lead over to another air conditioned van and plopped down in the seats. 

“Are we going to a beach house or something?” Cindy asked after shimmying past Sally to take the window seat. Sally slapped her ass and Cindy sent her a glare.

Harley closed the door behind him. “Or something.” He still wouldn’t say more so they plugged in the AUX cord again and yelled the lyrics of Can’t Hold Us with varying degrees of success. Happy looked like he would have enjoyed a pair of noise cancelling headphones.

No one had expected the car to stop right next to the harbour where all kinds of boats and yachts were anchoring. Happy lead the way through the winding paths on the water and everyone was chattering in excitement. They pointed at different ships with yelps and squeaks because these were far from anything they had ever seen up close.

“Alright, no one fall in yet please,” Harley said, shaking all of them out of their fawning over different ships. They had stopped in front of the rear of a sleek white yacht. The name Iron Heart was written across the back in bold letters and Peter almost snorted at the irony. Two black jet skies were anchored down on the swim deck which was already mind blowing. Not to mention this was a freaking yacht. Gleaming white material, wooden floors and an aura that just screamed ‘expensive’. Stairs were leading up to a saloon encased in blacked-out windows and atop that was another deck with a steel railing and a roof covering about half of the space.

“This is a joke, right?” Sally pointed towards the ship. “We’re not actually going on vacation on a freaking yacht, right?”

Harley laughed. “Surprise!” He gestured towards the yacht. “It’s not a beach house but I thought this would be more fun.”

“This… this is it,” Charles stammered. He looked up at the yacht like tourists would gaze up at the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island. “I’m actually dead.”

“Peter, where did you find this guy?!” Betty asked and pointed at Harley.

“Come on,” Harley said and hopped onto the swim deck. Once again he proved his amazing evasion abilities. Peter had to say he was impressed but guessed Harley was used to it. He waved them over. “The sooner we’re all on board the sooner we can set sails.”

“Set… set sails?” Abe asked blankly. “To where?”

Harley smirked. “The Bahamas.”

Cindy screamed and jumped onto the swim deck without any more hesitation. “Harley, I love you,” she declared before zipping up the stairs and shrieking again upon entering the saloon. Everyone else followed with their luggage and made their way up the stairs.

“You’re crazy,” Peter said with a small smile as he stepped onto the boat. 

Harley just smiled back. “Among us, this was my weekend getaway growing up. I know it’s crazy to other people but this is my normal so,” he shrugged, “I wanted to share.”

Peter shook his head fondly. “Okay, thank you for sharing.” He leaned in and gave Harley a small kiss. “Love you.”

“More than Cindy does?” Harley wiggled his eyebrows and Peter scoffed. “You bet.”


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet!  
> Also, you can watch a Sunseeker 95 walkthrough [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPqbeaCMYDc&t=).

Happy made them fill out the immigration paperwork as soon as everyone was on board while the crew got the ship ready to leave the harbour. According to Harley the best place to watch was either on the flydeck at the very top or in the seating area at the bow of the ship. It was quickly decided to to go the front of the ship, the girls climbing onto the big sunbed and raising the backs so they could lean against them comfortably. Betty had left her hat inside because it would be blown away by the wind out here.

Abe and Charles stood at the very front in a dramatic reenactment of the famous titanic pose as soon as the engines started moving the ship while Peter, Harley and Ned sat down in the small seating area. 

“This is the greatest vacation every. I already know this,” Sally called over the engines and the howling of the wind. She had taken out her sunglasses and already looked perfectly adjusted. “How far is it to the Bahamas? I can’t believe I’m even saying this.”

“About two and a half hours, maybe three,” Harley said. This was a trip he was very familiar with. Flying down to Miami after they had moved to New York and then hopping onto the Iron Heart to get away from the bustling life in the states. Just a few hours and it felt like you were worlds away. Tony barely used the yacht but he had kept it for mostly Harley’s sake. He had to admit this was not something most kids could say about their parents. Seeing as it wasn’t the biggest yacht out there - surely among the bigger ones but by far not the biggest or most over the top luxurious - Tony hadn’t had a problem with keeping it. Yachts were fairly expensive but to a billionaire barely anything was actually expensive. 

“This is amazing.” Abe sat down next to Ned after they had left the harbour, his hair short enough to not be ruined by the wind. They were passing a bunch of other ships of varying sizes and waved occasionally at people because someone this was a universal thing everyone on boats felt the need to do. “How big is this thing anyway? Are we all gonna fit?”

Oh talking about this yacht was something Harley could do. He has done it a bunch of times amongst snobby circles who all tried to outbid each other. His wasn’t the biggest or most impressive yacht and Harley didn’t need the have it either. Defining yourself based on your possessions was extremely superficial but sadly very common among the wealthy folks. “It’s a Sunseeker 95, 95 feet long. 10 beds, four crewmembers. Happy’s here so I guess Joe’s the captain, Ricky is the chef and Layla is our steward. They’re all really nice. We can play rock paper scissors for the rooms if you guys want to or you can choose whichever room you’d like. I’ve been all over this ship too many times anyway.”

“Is here a master bedroom?” Ned asked and Harley nodded. “Yup, with dressing area and bathroom on a separate level.” He somehow felt like he was a salesman trying to advertise his products. 

Ned squealed in excitement. “Shit, I feel like a kid.”

“Hey, we’re alone. We can do whatever the hell we want,” Harley said with a laugh. “If you wanna sleep all day or tan or swim or ride the jet ski or whatever we can do that. We have a bunch of games and karaoke, we can go to the beach and swim with pigs or just eat all day. There’s barbeque and a bar and a whole kitchen.”

“Pigs?” Peter asked. It was the only thing he was able to process. Everything sounded way to abstract and absurd to his ears.

Harley nodded. “Yeah there is this beach that has pigs and they go into the water with you.”

Peter had to think about that one for a moment. “Wild.”

When they arrived at their first anchoring point after immigration it was late afternoon. They had a very late lunch and decided on the rooms. Betty and Ned chose one of the double rooms downstairs, seeing as they were a couple, although Ned really wanted the master suite. Betty had opposed by saying she’d rather sleep downstairs so Ned had given in. Cindy and Sally decided for the other double room while Abe and Charles took one of the suits with separate beds and MJ took the other. Harley told them they could push the beds together if they wanted to but Abe said Charles occasionally kicked in his sleep so he’d rather not get too close. MJ seemed to consider the idea though.

This left Harley and Peter with the master suite. They promised Ned he was allowed to use their shower if he wanted to, simply for the experience. “That room is bigger than my apartment,” Peter said during lunch which could be considered an early dinner as well. 

“It’s not that big,” Harley objected. “Although it is probably bigger than your bedroom.”

Peter shook his head. “I don’t get this lifestyle.” He didn’t get it but it was nice. Not something he’d want to have all the time but this was vacation. He was allowed to enjoy things he usually didn’t get to have.

Layla swooped in with mousse au chocolat and refilled their drinks with the same kind of effortless efficiency as the flight attendant earlier in the day had done - it already seemed so far away. Peter wasn’t used to this kind of treatment. It was vacation though so he could lean back and just not worry about things for a while. At least he’d try. These people got payed to refill drinks after all and Peter couldn’t imagine Mr. Stark only paid them minimum wage. If he did he’d have to have a serious word with him.

Ricky, the chef and apparently also part-time diving instructor, grabbed all the water toys for them which consisted of everything Peter could have ever thought of. He was sure there was more out there because there was always more out there for people who had the money to pay for it but it was sufficiently enough in his opinion. The two jet skies had been put into the water and were not trailing behind the yacht so they could use the deck as a hangout spot. Apparently this part of the boat was called the beach club which was honestly just a stupid name. A giant flamingo floatie was pumped up along with a unicorn with a rainbow mane and tail. Peter couldn’t help but laugh when he saw it because it looked ridiculous. 

“It’s the gay unicorn!” Sally yelled as soon as she saw it. “That one’s mine! MJ, you’re invited.”

“Hey, there are more gays present!” Harley objected. 

“Yeah, you can just cling to Peter. He’s gay and can swim too.” Sally waved her hand dismissively and climbed onto the unicorn with MJ close behind her. 

“This is homophobic,” Harley muttered and Peter snorted. “I’m sure we can steal the gay unicorn at some point,” he reassured his boyfriend.

“Until then-” Harley rushed towards Peter who made an inhuman shriek sound as he was pushed into the water with Harley following close behind. They both fell in with a loud splash. Thankfully the water was nice and cool, not freezing and not lukewarm. Peter broke the surface with a splutter, dragging one hand across his face and shaking his wet hair out of his eyes. Thankfully he had already switched from his glasses to contacts and was only wearing his swim shorts. “Harley!”

Harley just laughed carelessly, looking every bit like a wet dog with his usually curly and voluminous hair plastered down. He pushed it back and grinned as he crossed the distance towards Peter and threw himself at him. “I get to see you half-naked for an entire week. That’s great.”

“That’s gay!” Abe yelled from where he was currently lounging on the flamingo with his sunglasses on and a drink in his hand. He was enjoying this luxurious lifestyle without remorse.

“No.” Harley shook his head before grabbing Peter’s face between his hands and pulling him in for a deep kiss - tongue and all. Peter was kind of occupied with restarting his brain and remaining afloat so he just went with whatever was happening. It tasted a lot like saltwater and was kind of slippery. Someone hooted at them. “That’s gay!” Harley proclaimed proudly after pulling away.

“That was hella gay,” Charles agreed.

Peter, brain finally caught up, scrunched up his nose and splashed his boyfriend with water as if to repel the evil. “You’re nasty, Jesus Christ. That was like kissing a fish.”

“Jesus won’t help you, Peter,” Ned called from the swim deck or beach club or whatever. He and Betty were sitting at the edge and dipping their legs into the water. “Because fish a sacred and holy.”

“I’m a holy fish, have you heard?” Harley quipped. Peter wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off his face but that was impossible so he did the next best thing and pushed his boyfriend underwater by leaning on his shoulders and pushing downwards with all his weight. Harley went under with a spectacular amount of bubbles and it was quiet for all of the seven seconds it took him to wiggle out of Peter’s hands and resurface again. 

“Assault!” he cried and spit out some water. “Blasphemy!”

Peter just splashed more water at him before turning away from the group to actually swim a little. He wasn’t the best at swimming but they had done it enough at school for him to be confident even in somewhat open waters. They were in a bay area with only two other ships further away, the sea was calm and you could see to the bottom of it. This was a first for Peter because the only water he really had as a comparison was the Hudson and the East River. Both were rather nasty and not exactly clear. 

He grabbed a pair of goggles from the swim deck and put them on. It was a weird feeling to not be able to breathe through his nose but a few moments of adjusting were enough. Peter took a deep breath, exhaled and dove down into the water. It wrapped around him almost soothingly, the world tinged in a vibrant blue and the sunlight dancing in ever-changing patterns across his skin. The ground was clearly visible with rocks and plants slowly dancing with the motion of the water. Underwater worlds had always been fascinating to Peter. Being able to experience them first hand and so clearly was like a dream come true. Underwater everything seemed slower, calmer, lighter. There was a sort of ease to everything and he loved it. 

Peter dove down deeper to get a closer to the rocks and plants. He saw a couple of fish darting between them and smiled softly. Far enough down he was not being dragged up towards the surface and could spend more energy on making his way forward at a slow pace. There were big rock formations which should have tunnels big enough to swim through. Peter got closer to take a proper look and indeed, there were tunnels. He found several entrances so there should be a way to swim all the way through. A short moment of consideration was all he need to decide he’d like to explore those but would have to go up for air first. He didn’t want to run out when he was this far down and in a tunnel even when they weren’t longer than a few meters.

With a push off from the stone he rose back towards the surface and breathed out to get rid of the water before breathing in again. 

“Pete, you scared me!” Ned called from the boat and Peter frowned, pushing up his goggles to see properly. “What? Why?”

“You were under for like two minutes, we had Charles check that you were still moving,” MJ said.

Peter shook his head. “I was checking out this thing.” He gestured downwards. “There’s tunnels you can swim through. Anyone wanna come?”

Cindy, Charles and Harley joined him for his next dive. Cindy got about halfway down before aborting and going back to the surface. The boys reached the rock in question and Peter made his way inside first. As assumed there were several tunnels which were all connected. Some were barely a meter long while others stretched for several. Harley held out for a little longer than Charles but even he needed to go up before Peter who breached the surface last. 

“My ears hurt,” Cindy complained. “Can you level the pressure somehow?”

Ricky showed her how to do it properly and explained everyone how they could stay underwater for longer by using the correct breathing technique. “When you feel like you’re running out you always need to come up. Don’t force yourself to stay under for longer than you think you can,” he reminded them sternly. “You’ll get better after a while.”

They dove down to the tunnels several more times to explore and even convincing Sally to try it as well. She was better with the pressure than Cindy was but even she complained about painful ears after the first dive.

Peter had no idea how long he had been in the water when he pulled himself up onto the swim deck but he was all soggy and pruny. His fingertips had weird patterns on them and it was a tiny bit chilly even. The sun had wandered down the sky, tinting it in a soft orange which would get brighter the further the sun lowered. 

“Here.” Ned threw a towel at Peter who smiled gratefully and dried his face first before ruffling through his hair and then wrapping it around his shoulders like a cape. No ordinary towel should be this soft and white but nothing about this whole situation was ordinary so Peter didn’t question it. The stitched inscription was a loopy cursive script which was hard to read at best. Peter stared at it, getting an ‘Lion M-’ … ‘Lion… Mlord’ or something out of it which couldn’t be right. He turned his head and caught a glimpse at the ship’s name which was a bit easier to read. ‘Iron Heart’. He looked back at his towel and sighed innerly. Yeah, that made more sense. 

Something trailed along Peter’s leg and he almost jumped out of his skin and whipped his head around to see if a fish was nibbling on his leg but it was just Harley running his pruney fingers up his calf under the surface. Thank fuck. Peter tried to calm his heart down by taking a controlled breath. Harley smiled up at him and Peter’s heart did not calm down, it did a weird flutter in his chest and made him feel like he was still floating in the ocean without a care in the world. Harley, oblivious to his boyfriend’s inner swooning, crossed his arms over Peter’s knees and leaned his chin on top of them so he wouldn’t have to keep himself afloat and could look at Peter properly. 

“What ‘cha think’ ‘bout?” he asked with that sweet voice of his, eyes carrying this adorning look and Peter had to keep himself together so he wouldn’t melt into a puddle on the deck. Maybe Ricky could scrub him off into a bucket or something. He didn’t exactly want to spend the rest of his vacation in a bucket though. The urge to just say ‘the fact that I really, really like you and I think I’m in love with you’ was very strong at this moment but it was too early to get mushy and they were pruney and crusty from the salt water. Besides, Peter could say it later when they were alone and not all wrinkly. “That I can’t read cursive for shit,” he said instead. 

Harley blinkend. He needed a moment to decipher that one and figure out where Peter had pulled that thought from. He then shook his head shortly and decided it didn’t matter. “Isn’t cursive supposed to be easier to read?” he asked, genuinely curiously. “Like-” he gestured vaguely- “I read something that it improved eye-hand-coordination and it makes it easier for dyslexics to figure out the letters.”

Peter pursed his lips, eyes focused onto Harley’s quickly drying hair and wondering if he should run his fingers through it. It was perfectly in reach and very tempting. He was also flattered Harley put effort into learning about his disability and actually listened when Peter had something to say. Answering some questions was the least he could do to help him understand it better. Especially because Harley would remember and take it into consideration. “Not necessarily. I mean, for me it doesn’t. I just get more confused. Like literally, what is this?” Peter pointed towards the letters on his towel. “I can’t see ‘Iron Heart’. I figured that’s what it says but I just see ‘Lion… Mjord’ or some shit. What’s with all those loopy letters?”

Harley regarded the letters in question closely, eyebrows furrowed and everything as if he was actually seriously trying to see how one could read ‘Lion Mjord’ when for him it was easy to see the ‘Iron Heart’. But just because it was easy for him didn’t mean it was easy for everyone. When Peter said he couldn’t read it then that’s how it was, no matter how easy it was for Harley and most other people to decipher. “Honestly, I have no idea.” Harley shrugged. “I think it’s fancier than like Comic Sans or something.”

“Well Comic Sans I can somewhat read at least,” Peter huffed. He was aware Comic Sans was somehow universally hated by people all across the globe but it made reading a little bit easier. Nothing like the script designed to be easier to read for people with dyslexia but it was at least something. Even when teachers usually avoided it because of the undisputed hate. 

The sun had sunken a little lower within the last minutes and the sky was almost completely orange now. The usual bright blue had shifted into a pastel violet and it was the most vibrant sunset Peter had ever seen. Harley noticed him staring and turned his head to see for himself. He smiled as he figured the breathtaking sunset was the reason for his boyfriend’s awed expression and shifted so he could pull himself out of the water next to Peter who leaned into him subconsciously. He offered some of his towel without looking and Harley dried his face before joining Peter’s silent watching. 

Ned and Betty were huddled together as well, Cindy, Sally, Abe and Charles were climbing onto the deck and Michelle was lounging on the Gay Unicorn with her feet kicking in the water lazily. It was nice and peaceful. There was this sense of… timelessness almost. They were away from their normal lives, their worries and concerns. Their studies, bills and jobs. It felt surreal almost, like they had been dropped into an alternate reality where none of those things existed. It was absurd to think just this morning they had been in New York City and now they were on a multi-million dollar yacht anchoring in the Bahamas. It was weird, it didn’t feel real and yet it felt too real. It was this strange contrast of living it but not grasping it fully. It felt real but not really. It was real but it was too absurd to believe it. 

A lot of things didn’t feel real. The fact that Peter, Peter Parker from New York City, was in the Bahamas. That he was in a yacht with his boyfriend. His boyfriend whose father was a billionaire and literally owned this very yacht. That his boyfriend had invited them all to come along without them having to pay for anything. 

His boyfriend. 

Peter didn’t get like this often. Sure, he had his moments of existential crisis where he asked the universe how the fuck he had gotten a boyfriend like Harley Keener. How it was possible that he, Peter Parker, was together with none other than Harley Keener. The son of freaking Tony Stark whom the entire world knew as billionaire, amazing engineer, scientist and Iron Man among other things. It was… absurd. 

There had been nothing unusual about their first encounter, it was the most mundane of things a New Yorker did in their day but still  _ something _ must have happened because now, over a year after this first encounter Peter could, without a hint of doubt, say he was in love with Harley Keener. This thought still sent chills down his spine. Happy chills, sure, but still chills because this was not… normal. This is not what he had expected when he had come out to May and Ben at the tender age of nine when he had his first real crush on a boy in his ballet class. Peter hadn’t even known what gay was at this point in time, he had just blurted it out without a second though.

Ben’s eyes had gone comically wide which Peter hadn’t understood but May had only needed a second before smiling. “That sounds great, sweetheart. Can you tell us what you like about Lucas?”

So Peter had started explaining in great detail how Lucas was always nice and that he liked Star Wars and that he practised together with Peter when the girls were doing something else and how Lucas had told him what his favorite doughnut glazing was… and that he very pretty.

May had just smiled knowingly, suggesting - like the smart woman she was - they could buy one of Lucas’ favorite doughnuts for him and Peter could surprise him with it after practise. Peter had loved the idea, completely missing how Ben was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his nine year old nephew had just come out to him. Unknowingly but still. It had taken him several long moments along with a very pointed and expectant look from his wonderful wife to get his brain working again. 

“Peter,” he had said seriously and Peter had looked at him with big eyes because he wasn’t used to this voice appearing out of the blue. Usually that was used when he was asked if he had done all of his homework before he could watch TV in the evening. “May and I love you very much no matter what and we are very happy for you,” he had said, trying to convey as much as possible with this sentence. Peter, being nine, hadn’t understood the gravity the words held until much later. Instead he had just nodded his head, somewhat confused but still happy, and had gone back to decapitating each and every one of his dinosaur nuggets with his fork because the heads needed to be eaten first. It was universal knowledge.

Peter’s crush on Lucas hadn’t really developed into much. They had been nine after all so some playdates and small gifts were really all than had happened. Peter wasn’t even sure if Lucas had been or was gay, he had lost contact with him and the other kids from his ballet class after Ben’s death since they had been too expensive for May to shoulder alone. Peter’s crush had subsided into just friendship at some point anyway but it was still a nice memory to remember. 

His next crush had been Ned, actually. For all of three weeks after getting to know him because they were just so in tune and had the exact same interests. They simply understood each other but Peter had quickly realized his crush was simply platonic. Some people in the aro/ace community called it a squish and he had just decided to claim that word for his and Ned’s friendship because… because Ned was perfect for squishing. Physically and emotionally. Just thinking about it made Peter happy. 

Afterwards there had been a few more short-lived crushes along with a very hopeless crush on an upperclassman. Peter had barely known anything about him, just his name and grade but boy had he been crushing hard. Like full on blushing and stuttering when talking about him or even seeing him. Obviously, being shy and being younger, Peter had never dared to approach him so nothing had come out of it but damn, that had been a wild six months until the guy had graduated. MJ has had a blast during that time and the entire AcaDeca team had figured it out at some point. It had been hard not to when Peter’s brain had just shut off completely that one time the guy had entered their practise room because he had forgotten something. Peter swore he had been close to combusting on the spot and had felt slightly faint after forgetting how to breathe until Ned had reminded him.

Harley had been different. Harley… Peter didn’t know how to describe it but he hadn’t knocked him straight off his feet with a sudden silly crush. No, at least not in the love-at-first-sight sense. Obviously Harley was attractive and charming and obviously Peter could appreciate this in a guy but he hadn’t been over the moon immediately. It had sneaked up on him, getting more intense with each of Harley’s visit until Peter had actually looked forward to them and got excited when Harley stood in front of him. The giddy feeling in his chest, the little skip his heart did, the ease of just… existing around Harley, all that had come gradually without Peter noticing and then it felt like it had always been there. The more he had talked to him the more comfortable he had felt. It hadn’t been hard to remain functioning around Harley simply because he had always felt comfortable around him, like an equal. 

Peter smiled to himself softly and leaned his head onto Harley’s shoulder. His skin had dried but was cool against Peter’s cheek, Harley’s hair tickling his forehead

It was strange. Peter wouldn’t describe what he had felt as a crush but it had been more than just plain fondness. Perhaps it had been the process of falling in love, as cheesy as it sounded but it was the best he could do. Loving someone didn’t just happen within a day, it was a process and took time. A crush could be superficial, based on a visual or even a fantasy of someone alone. It didn’t have any roots connecting two entities. 

Love was different. Love grew with time and care. It was delicate and needed constant work. It wasn’t like a weed growing taller and more persistent on the side of the road with all forces being unable to deter it. No, love was a delicate plant. Each one unique with no guidebook on how to care for it properly. It took instinct, trial and error, attention and feedback. Love didn’t come from nothing but when it bloomed into a strong flower it was beautiful and strong. 

Peter wasn’t sure at what stage his and Harley’s love currently was. He didn’t need to know because he’d just keep caring for it anyway, no matter how strong it had already become.

“Hey, cuddle bugs,” someone called and Peter was shaken out of his mushy thoughts. He needed a moment to register the sky had turned into a dark pink and vibrant purple that faded into the night’s blue. The sun was nowhere to be seen. Peter lifted his head off Harley’s shoulder and turned towards MJ who was halfway up the stairs towards the cockpit. She had this amused and strangely fond expression on her face. Peter also noted she was the only one left besides him and Harley. “Everyone went to take a shower. Ricky said he can get some barbeque going for is on the flydeck in like forty minutes.”

“Oh,” Peter said like the intelligent being he was. He also noted that his lower legs were starting to get really cold. His toes must be squishy sponges by now. Hopefully no fish had sucked on his toes while he had been spacing out. Strangely enough he was also hungry again. Must be because of all the swimming. 

“Ricky’s barbeque is fire.” Harley shifted and got up with a groan. His swim shorts were a canary yellow which should look stupid but it didn’t. Peter stared at his legs for a long moment. From down here they were really nice to look at. Nice calf muscles. A moment later he realized he was staring and focused back onto MJ who had a blank look on her face. 

“Okay.” She looked between the two boys. “Your have forty minutes, loverboys. No intense make out sessions,” she called while climbing the remaining stairs and disappearing into the enclosed saloon.

“Well, there go my plans for the evening,” Harley joked and Peter scoffed. He stood up as well and went past Harley up the stairs. 

“Forty minutes isn’t a lot so I think we’d be faster when we go shower at the same time,” he said flippantly. Harley needed exactly two seconds before he got it and was behind Peter in a flash. “Babes, you have the best ideas.”

In the end nothing more happened than them giving each other smooches, weird shampoo hairstyles and blowing bubbles at one other. They weren’t horny teenagers after all. Still Harley insisted on some kisses after they had gotten dressed and they did fall onto the bed by accident because Peter had stumbled over a discarded shoe. Heeding the time frame they had been given they didn’t do more than giggle at one another stupidly before getting up again. They climbed up to the flydeck and were unsurprisingly the last ones to arrive. Ricky had started on the grill and Layla asked what they wanted to drink. 

The flydeck was impressive to say the least. It was bigger than you’d expect with a captain’s seat at the very front and a bar with built-in barbeque grill which Ricky was currently managing. There were two areas to sit down in. The one opposite the bar with a table in a classic dining area style and the one towards the back with comfortable chairs, couches and beanbags. It looked perfectly cozy to snuggle up in and just enjoy the unobstructed view across the ocean. Candles were lit all over, accompanied by a soft and warm glow from the concealed lights. With the sun now completely gone it was cooler but not cold enough to make anyone spend time inside. Most had just thrown on a light jackets or a sweatshirt. The two boats in the distance were giving of light like two swimming candles. One of them even illuminated the water around the hull like a fancy bathtub.

“How nice of you to join us,” Cindy crooned and raised her glass of red wine to a mocking toast. “We were worried you were taking an  _ intense look _ at all the options of the rainfall shower.”

Peter sat down with a huff and sent her a blank stare. “Could we stop with the concealed sex allusions. We’re not sixteen and we’re not in high school.”

“Oh fuck, I missed that phase.” Harley flopped down on the bench next to Peter. “Did people really hook up in strange places?”

“I once saw a girl dry humping a guy under the bleachers on the field.” Sally grimaced into her glass. “They were looking like seals trying to eat each other’s face off. I’m not sure I’ve gotten over that trauma yet.”

“You wouldn’t believe the kind of things I’ve heard through the grapevine while working for the school paper,” Betty sighed. “Some of those things were just downright nasty. Dry humping in public is already nasty but some people took it to a whole new level.”

“I’m pretty sure someone gave someone a blowjob in the bathroom.” Charles shrugged. “The sounds were very suspicious.”

“Geez, that’s wild.” Harley looked like this was a foreign world to him which was strange to witness. Usually he was the one introducing everyone to new things. Public school was one of the very few things he had absolutely no experience with. It was almost endearing how clueless he sometimes was about very standard procedures at school. Just like when Peter had told him he hadn’t gotten any extra leeway because of his disability even just so to give him a similar chance as everyone else. “Public school sounds like an experience alright.”

“If you don’t count standardized tests, stupid teachers and people, too much homework and a stupid curriculum I guess it was an alright experience,” MJ grumbled. She had basically just criticized everything about school but that was just MJ for you. She had never been a fan of the system and would argue with teachers every now and then but was smart enough to not her grades suffer from it. “At least university feels more professional.”

Abe snorted. “My professor sent an email just saying ‘I couldn’t find a parking spot. Class is dismissed. I’m going home’ before my eight am lecture. At 7:58.”

Ned nodded his head sympathetically. “It be like that sometimes.”

“My prof answers emails with ‘yeh’ or ‘nah’,” Cindy said. “I think some of the international students don’t understand and freak out when they get that as an answer.”

Peter just smiled and tried to ignore the longing feeling in his chest.

Two hours and an intense barbeque session later they had migrated to the more comfortable sitting area and were, funny enough, playing Never Have I Ever. It was Abe’s turn and he considered for a while before finally settling on something. “Never have I ever doubted my heterosexuality.” The four gathered homosexual individuals looked at each other and then took a sip from their glasses. Ned did too surprisingly.

“Just because straight is the assumed default,” Harley said. “But I kinda always knew I was gay.”

“Same,” Peter and Michelle echoed.

“I thought I was straight but then I realized I didn’t really think of guys, only just because I thought that’s what you were supposed to do. Once I realized girls were an option I never looked back.” Sally shrugged. “No offense guys, you’re all great but girls are way better.”

MJ nodded her head in agreement.

“Objection,” Harley said. “But yeah, sentiment is understood.”

Sally waved her hand. “Yeah okay, Peter is an exception.”

Peter made a strange sound. “What? Why?”

“Because you’re like…  _ nice _ .”

Peter blinked in confusion. 

Abe protested loudly. “Am I not nice?”

Sally rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you’re nice too. Bit of an idiot especially when you were younger but Peter is like  _ nice  _ nice. The kinda nice that girls like.”

Abe still seemed offended. Peter looked at her utterly confused, then looked at Ned because maybe he’d know what Sally meant but his best friend just shrugged. Sally groaned. “Look, you just get girls, okay? I don’t know why but you make the female population feel comfortable because you’re…” She gestured towards him. “You. You’re not a threat.”

Not a threat? Peter crooked his head. Were men a threat? It only took a second for him to realize that yes, men were indeed a threat. He just had the luxury not to worry about it because it was not directed at him.

“What she means-” MJ leaned forward- “is that you are not all about this toxic masculinity thing that’s going on in high school and the girls didn’t feel like you were trying to get something from them. Not just because you’re gay. You just have this very likable and kind aura.” She rubbed her feet together where they were laying on a beanbag next to Charles. “Personally I think it’s because you grew up around May who is honestly one of the best women I have ever met so maybe that subconsciously rubbed off on you or you just get it.”

Peter was stunned into silence. Of course he knew May was an amazing woman but he had never thought about this transferring onto him and giving him some sort of insight. He just treated everyone like he’d like to be treated in return. He hadn’t been aware there was anything special about the way he interacted with people.

“Didn’t you ever have girls just standing close to you at the subway or bus stop or something?” Betty asked because apparently she was in on this thing as well. 

“Uh…” Peter tried to search through his brain. He could remembered a few similar instances now that she had brought it up. “I mean… yeah, sometimes. Didn’t really think anything of it.”

“Thought so,” Cindy sighed. Did she know too? “But other girls see it. You are the kind of guy girls are actually comfortable walking past on an empty street.”

“Pete, you’re the protector of the female population,” Harley said and patted his boyfriend’s legs. He sat between them on a cushion and leaned back against Peter who was sitting on a plush chair. “That’s an honor. Because when I walk past they send me these suspicious looks.”

“Because you have too much self-confidence,” Sally said immediately. “Not that it’s bad, just gives of this… vibe. Self-confidence means men are more likely to lash out when you don’t give them what they want.” The other three girls nodded in grim agreement. It was almost frightening how much of an universal experience this was. 

“So much stuff that I never even thought about,” Charles mumbled. Everyone was silent for a moment before Abe came out of it as the first. “Okay, society sucks but don’t think I didn’t see Ned drinking.” He leaned forward to look at Ned who threw his head back with a groan. “I thought that would have gone undetected,” he grumbled. Betty now looked at him as well with a curious expression.

Abe smirked. “Nope. Come on man, tell the story. Who was the lucky guy who made you question your sexuality?”

Harley felt Peter shifting behind him. Ned looked at his best friend who just grinned knowingly. Everyone followed the exchange but needed a moment to catch on. Everyone except MJ, she just rolled her eyes and muttered ‘of course’ under her breath. 

“Wait… what?” Abe asked, looking between his two friends. “Peter?!”

Peter threw his head back and laughed. This brought back memories of the time where they had both admitted this. Peter had been afraid of making it weird because Ned had known he was gay but then Ned had just said ‘yeah me too but not like… romantic’ and Peter had agreed. They had laughed about it and moved on without any hard feelings or awkwardness between them. Some people had thought they were together just because they hung out all the time and had no qualms about hugging or other physical contact. “Yeah we had like… crushes on each other for like three weeks after meeting each other.”

“He was into Star Wars, I was into Star Wars, he got what I said about code.” Ned shrugged. “I really felt like I had found my future husband for a while and then I realized it was just a platonic crush, no romance involved. I mean, I love Pete but I really don’t wanna kiss him.”

“Well that’s good to know,” Betty said and everyone laughed.

“Same,” Harley said. “Okay so I’m next and I’m shooting myself in the foot here but now I wanna know. Never have I ever had a crush on Peter.”

“Harley!” Peter complained scandalized and shoved his boyfriend with his foot. He then watched as Ned, Cindy, Sally and Harley each took a sip. “What?!”

Sally shrugged. “Like I said, thought I had to go for guys and you were  _ nice _ .”

“For like two months when I started decathlon,” Cindy said flippantly. “Wasn’t anything deep but it kinda was a crush.”

Peter flopped back in his chair. This… was not what he had expected. A lesbian had just admitted to having a crush on him. This was wild. Harley, ever the careless guy because three close friends had just admitted on having had a crush on his boyfriend but he didn’t care at all, just laughed. “Oh this is great. I knew I wasn’t the only one who got those vibes from you. Apparently that makes you very attractive.”

Peter whined. “Can we stop talking about this? Never have I ever… I don’t know… gone skinny dipping.”

Sally, Abe and Harley took a sip, thankfully sparing him from further embarrassment.

Cindy was next. “Never have I ever been in handcuffs.” No one took a sip. “Geez, y’all boring. Harley? Not even the sexy kind?”

Harley snorted. “Nah, sorry to disappoint.”

Charles had to think of a question for a few moments. “Oh, I know; never have I ever been caught by my or my partner’s family.”

Betty and Ned grimaced before taking a sip each. “In our defense,” Betty said. “We weren’t doing anything like… naked but my mom came in without knocking and it was…”

“Awkward,” Ned finished for her. He shuddered at the memory alone. “She either knocked or stayed away after that.”

They continued playing until half of them were barely keeping their eyes open and they decided to call it a night. The bed in the master suit was like a cloud and Peter was out like a light as soon as Harley’s arms sneaked around his waist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most unrealistic part about Homecoming was that no one was crushing on Peter so I changed that.  
> Lucas is the name of the boy Tom was playing in The Impossible.  
>   
> Do you like the rest of the AcaDeca squad? Because I kinda love the team.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Peter was floating in dreamland until he was suddenly yanked out of it by loud voices all around him. His eyes fluttered open and squinted against the colorful spots and bright lights. This was the fifth day on the boat and he still got confused whenever he woke up.

“-py birthday to you, happy birthday dear Peter, happy birthday to you!”

People were cheering and Peter’s brain was not working. “Wha?” he mumbled into his pillow. There were hands tugging away his blanket and he grumbled in protest before he was hauled up into a sitting position and got lightheaded for a second as his blood tried to catch up. 

“Happy Birthday!”

Peter blinked. There were people in his room. Lots of people. Everyone was in his room. MJ, Ned, Betty, Sally, Cindy, Abe, Charles and Harley stood in front of him, all with huge grins on their faces. Ned was holding something close to his face and Peter stared at it. It was a cake. A cake with perfect white frosting and strawberries and a very neat writing that said ‘Happy Birthday Peter’. There were a bunch of burning candles stuck into it, presumably twenty one, and Peter’s brain couldn’t process this. It was a birthday cake. For him. It was… his birthday?

“Come on, you gotta blow out the candles!” Betty cheered. 

“And make a wish!” Charles added. “Most important! Birthday wishes are the best ones.”

Ned nodded his head in agreement and held the cake even closer to Peter who blinked and took it in once more before following the instructions and blowing out the candles. Surprisingly it worked in one go and everyone hollered while Peter tried to think of a wish. ‘Just everyone being happy’ he thought ‘just like this’.

The blankets were pulled off the bed and Ned sat the cake down. It really was a gorgeous cake. Peter wondered where they had gotten from because they were literally floating on water but MJ interrupted his thoughts by pulling out a huge knife. She started cutting the cake and Sally suddenly had plates and forks and everyone got a piece of cake and got situated on the bed. Peter got a giant slice, his brain still reeling, but the cake was a dark red from the inside and his eyes widened in excitement. 

“Red velvet,” Ned said with a proud grin. “I know that’s your favorite and we asked Ricky if he could make one.”

It wasn’t even a store bought cake, it was handmade by a professional chef! Peter wasn’t sure if he had ever eaten handmade red velvet, it was usually too expensive or the stores procuded them with machines. The frosting was amazing and the cake- Peter closed his eyes and hummed happily. “I love Ricky,” he said before shoveling more cake into his mouth. Harley made an unhappy noise from next to him. Peter just smiled. “Sorry but this cake is awesome.”

Harley grumbled but couldn’t disagree. Almost the entire cake was gone within minutes and Peter felt like he was on cloud nine. Cake in bed on his birthday, getting woken up by all of his friends and his boyfriend while on vacation in the Bahamas. This was really a dream.

“Okay, presents!” Abe called. Everyone started shifting and pulled things from somewhere, wrapped neatly in colorful paper and with bows on top. 

“W-what?” Peter stammered. Presents? What presents?

“Hey, you’re turning 21, this is big!” Cindy grinned at him and pushed a small card at him. “From me and Sally.” The girls watched with giddy smiles as Peter opened the bright green envelope and pulled out a card with cursive script and a bunch of sparkling, four-leaved clovers on the cover. He flipped it open and had to smile because the writing was neat and in block script which made it easier to read for him. He knew Sally had a chicken scrawl and Cindy usually wrote in cursive so they must have paid extra attention to it. 

‘Happy Birthday Peter! Now the baby of the group is finally 21 as well! We wanted to give you something practical and we know you like this place. Try the cocktails next time you’re there, they’re really good. Enjoy! - Sally & Cindy’. Below was a small 40$ gift card for his favorite Thai restaurant and a warm feeling spread through Peter’s chest. He opened his mouth to thank the girls but had the next gift pushed into his arms. 

“Ah ah, next gift.” Abe patted the box which had ‘for Peter from Abe & Charles’ written on the paper with black marker. “I hope you’ll like it.”

“We were looking for a while,” Charles said. “And then we found this and we thought you should have it.”

Peter was curious now and carefully peeled off the paper. The box was quite heavy for the size of it and nothing rattled around so Peter really had no idea what was inside of it. He opened the flap and nestled inside a styrofoam protection was… a glass globe? Peter got it out of the styrofoam to take a closer look and made a surprised noise once he realized what it actually was. It was indeed a glass globe, almost like a snowglobe but instead of some figure and snow the inside was solid. Peter had no idea how it worked but inside the globe was the depiction of his star sign, both the constellation and a lion, in small white dots which looked like stars in the night sky. 

“It works best when the lights are off,” Charles said. “And there is this thing you can put under it and it glows in different colors.”

“This is so cool.” Peter’s eyes were wide in awe. Harley leaned in over his shoulder to take a closer look so Peter offered him the globe. “Dude this is sick.” Harley turned it in his hand to look at it from all sides. “How did they do that?”

Abe laughed. “No idea but it’s cool.”

The globe was passed around so everyone could take a closer look at it. They all agreed that it was indeed pretty cool and Peter grinned widely as he carefully put it back into its packaging. He’d cry if it wouldn’t survive the trip back home so he really needed to be careful with it.

Betty pulled out a silver envelope. “Okay, so to stick with the theme we’re going next.” She handed it over and Peter opened it. The card was black with glittering silver dots displaying a galaxy in the center. He flipped it open and started reading. 

‘Happy Birthday buddy! You’ve talked about this a lot so we thought this was the perfect time. This is a voucher for one day spent with you ultimate best friend - the one and only Ned - at the Hayden Planetarium. They have this awesome show at the moment which I know you’re gonna love. Transport, food and tickets are taken care off. Ice cream as well if you feel like it. I’m really looking forward to it. Happy Birthday bro, I love you’. It was obvious Ned had written this. Peter would recognize his handwriting everywhere. Below Ned’s text in a much neater handwriting stood ‘Have fun on your boy-exploration-day. Happy birthday Peter!’ from Betty.

Peter couldn’t help but smile widely. “Thank you. I’ve been wanting to go forever.”

The couple grinned back at him. “I know, that’s why I’m taking you,” Ned said. “I already have the tickets and everything. It’s in two on Thursday in two weeks so make sure you keep that free.”

Peter hummed. “Will do.”

“Oh the planetarium.” Sally had twisted her neck to read the card. “That’s the one at the Museum of Natural History, right?”

Peter nodded. “Yeah, it’s this giant glass building and in the evening they light it up and they have this big room with a dome where they show like pictures and videos and stuff.”

“That sounds like it’s exactly your thing.”

“Okay, my turn.” MJ crawled forward and grabbed the black tote bag next to her. ‘I’m lesbian, not American’ was written on the material in big white letters and Peter still, to this day, found it hilarious because a bunch of people had to do a double take and those who got it found it funny as well. And it wouldn’t be MJ if she didn’t enjoy pissing off up-tight people with conservative views. “Here.” She pulled out a big book-shaped thing. Once it was in his hands Peter could say it was probably a book but the size was too big for the usual ones. It wouldn’t be the first time MJ got him a book, she was known to be an avid reader and usually got his taste pretty spot on. 

Peter peeled off the paper and was greeted by a bright blue cover. It took him a moment to decipher the word ‘Memories’ written across the surface. He opened to the first page which was blank except for a small paragraph of MJ’s handwriting. ‘It’s not like I think you’ll forget but I thought it would be nice to have it anyway. I spared you the embarrassment of including your baby pictures but feel free to add those if you wanna. Happy 21st birthday, idiot. Love you - MJ’. Peter didn’t quite understand but when he flipped to the next page everything made sense. Staring back at him was a double page of black paper, decorated with pictures from what must be one of the first play dates he had with Ned. They were both a lot younger and building a lego structure in the living room of Ned’s apartment. On the right page there were pictures of him and Ned in front of the school, making weird poses and not even noticing the camera. 

Everyone huddled closer, eager to see the pictures as Peter flipped through them. At first it was just Ned and May and a few with Ben, then there was MJ and then the decathlon team during practise, at competitions, when they went out to eat after a win and on the class trip to Europe which had been the wildest time of their lives. There were pictures of Peter where he hadn’t even noticed the camera. From his 18th birthday, sprawled out across a bench at McDonalds like a he had the biggest hangover, him and Ned sporting ridiculous party hats on MJ’s 19th birthday, pictures of him and May from his graduation and from the after party. A bit further back Harley joined the party. There were selfies of him and Peter where they were hugging, one where they were sprawled out across the couch - Harley on top of Peter because apparently that was comfortable, them making lovey dovey faces at each other with a deadpan MJ in the foreground. 

There were a ton of pictures starting from the time where Peter had met Ned through his entire high school career and afterwards. Some things he had forgotten like falling asleep on the bus to London and clutching Cindy’s pink backpack to his chest like a pillow. Or Abe, Charles, Ned and him recreating the pose of a statue at a museum which was just utterly ridiculous. There were so many good memories in this book, Peter didn’t even want to close it. He only realized he had started crying when one tear dropped down onto the page. 

“Ah shit, I broke him,” MJ deadpanned and gently tugged the book away so Peter wouldn’t cry all over it. 

“No, it’s mine,” he whined like a kid and pressed it into his chest as if to protect it. The others realized he was crying and a chorus of ‘aww’s and reassurance rained down on him. Everyone tried to hug Peter which turned into a giant pile of bodies with plates and wrapping paper filling the cracks. 

“I love you guys, thank you,” Peter sniffed and he was almost squeezed to death by multiple pairs of arms. Variations of ‘love you too’ rained on him and he laughed wetly. “Guys, it’s too early for this. I’m not emotionally stable right after waking up. What were you all thinking?”

“It’s not a 21st when you don’t cry at least once,” Sally said. “I got drunk and sobbed all over Cindy’s dress.”

“Yeah, and you almost threw up on it too,” Cindy added before patting Peter’s head. “It’s best to get it out early.”

“And we have all day for more emotions,” Ned said cheerfully.

“And breakfast,” Harley said. “I really need breakfast. The cake was great but I’m craving coffee and pancakes.”

Peter perked up. “Oh yes! Pancakes.”

Harley nodded and peeled away from his boyfriend’s back. “Okay everyone, lets get some breakfast and make Ricky sweat.”

“No,” Peter whined. “Ricky is my hero. He made me red velvet!”

“I would have too but I don’t wanna poison my boyfriend.”

Peter laughed and leaned his head back so he could kiss Harley. “Still love you though.”

Harley grinned. “Well, that’s a relief.” He kissed back. “I’ll give you your gift when we’re back. I couldn’t take it without blowing the surprise.”

Peter hummed and took Harley’s offered hand to climb off the bed. He wanted to clean up but he knew Layla would swoop in and do it without anyone noticing and he was constantly reassured he didn’t need to do the staffs’ job so he left it. Just for now, never when he was at home or someone’s guest but here he was allowed and actually supposed to apparently.

They ate breakfast - pancakes, fruit salad, scrambled eggs, french toast, baguette with passion fruit marmalade, toast with avocado and a ton of bacon. Peter had asked MJ where on earth she had gotten all of those picture. She had just smiled knowingly. “Called in some favors, asked a ton of people.” She shrugged. “May sent me your baby pictures and I gotta say you were hella adorable.” Peter groaned into his pancake while MJ laughed at his misery. 

Everyone took about half an hour to digest the massive meal they’ve just had before they were able to get on with their day. They changed from their pajamas into their swimming clothes and Harley dragged them up to the fly deck and explained it was tradition to jump from the highest point of the yacht on one’s birthday. The roof was a bit too dangerous, which didn’t mean he hadn’t done it yet, but the fly deck was about four meters above the surface level and perfectly fine to jump off of. Peter sighed and gave in without much prompting. “If I have to jump you all gotta jump as well. You’re all 21 already.”

“I’ve wanted to jump off this thing anyway.” Abe grinned and rubbed his hands excitedly. “Get going, birthday boy!”

Peter sighed again before climbing over the railing and leaning against it. He stared down at the water and a sudden thought overcame him. He was 21. He could do anything he wanted. Everyone was deep into their studies, they were all pursuing their careers and yet here he was, stuck with what he had which wasn’t what he wanted. There was so much more he could do. Things he couldn’t afford on his own but there was a way for him to still pursue his dreams, he just had to accept the help. This vacation was something Peter had never thought he’d be able to do, much less do it without having to worry about the finances. It was so much out of his world but for Harley this was normal. 

Maybe… maybe accepting the offered help wouldn’t be bad. Maybe it was okay for him to accept the help he needed to get a chance. He deserved that, right? He deserved to pursue his dreams and interests. He wanted to, more than anything. Hearing all of his friends doing it had just reignited a fire inside of him he thought he had snuffed out. It was still there and this time he didn’t want it to extinguish it.

Peter turned back towards his friends who were all waiting for him to jump with big smiles on their faces. Harley was among them, grinning like the sunshine he was with this adoring gaze in his eyes. Strangely enough Peter’s decision was made right then and there. It just felt right, no matter how much he wanted to worry about things. This was the one thing he wanted more than anything else right now. Peter reached out and cupped Harley’s neck to tug him closer. Harley made a small sound of surprise and steadied himself on the railing as Peter leaned in to whisper something into his ear. 

“The scholarship… I’ll take it.”

Peter leaned back and looked at Harley who was frozen in his spot for some seconds, eyes wide. He turned his head towards Peter slowly. “Wait… really?” he asked faintly, eyes still blown wide and his tone hopeful. Peter just grinned, feeling liberated, and without further ado he jumped off the yacht, ignoring the loud ‘PETER?!’ from Harley and the questions about what he had said from everyone else. The water wrapped around him, a rush of bubbles tickling his skin as he sunk down. His legs kicked against the water and he broke the surface with a shake of his head to get his hair out of his eyes. Looking up at the yacht made it seemed huge and he barely had time to register Harley hopping onto the railing and jumping down as well like the ship was on fire. He came up with a splutter and paddled over in a hurry which made Peter laugh at his urgency.

“Really?” Harley asked again once he was in front of him, not even wasting one second, and Peter nodded. A huge smile broke out across his boyfriend’s face and he pulled Peter close by his neck to connect their lips to a deep kiss. They almost went under because both forgot to keep themselves afloat. Drowning by kissing was not really what either of them had mind so they decided to postpone the passionate make out session. “I love you,” Harley mumbled against Peter’s lips and Peter hummed happily. “Love you too.”

“The fuck did he say?” Cindy hollered from the fly deck. All their friends stood at the railing like they were watching a spectacle. 

“You wanna tell them?” Harley asked quietly but Peter shook his head. “No yet, only when I actually get in.”

Harley looked like he wanted to say there would be no problem with that but held himself back and nodded. It was Peter’s decision, not his. Besides, he knew Peter wouldn’t accept just like that without having any sort of project or thesis in mind.

“Hey!” Ned yelled. “What’s going on?”

“Are ya getting married?!” Sally shrieked and Peter almost choked on a mouthful of seawater. “What? NO!” he yelled up at the others. Sally ignored him. “Because then you gotta warn me so I can buy a new dress! There is this one label that makes these nice dresses with flower details and I need a reason to buy one!”

“We’re not getting married!” Peter yelled back scandalized while Harley snickered. “Jesus.”

Sally laughed and climbed over the railing to jump down into the water as well. The others followed her and soon all nine were down in the water next to the yacht. They pestered the couple some more and came up with ridiculous things but Peter and Harley refused to tell them anything although Harley wanted to tell the entire world his boyfriend would go to university. Peter promised his friends to tell them at some point if it became relevant. Ned looked a tiny bit hurt that even he wasn’t allowed in on the secret but agreed to wait. 

The rest of the day was filled with a bunch of food, more jumps from the fly deck, jet ski races, cocktails, passionate karaoke performances where the two couples were forced to perform stupid ballads. Harley loved it, Peter wanted to drown himself in the ocean. Everyone was drunk in the evening, Abe swore the stars were disco balls in the sky and Peter wobbled unsteadily ever time he walked. 

All in all it was a perfect day and if Harley and Peter had a very intense make out session in the shower that was filled with giggles and bold touches then no one had to know. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is there anything you're like to see in this story?  
> We're not at the end yet but if I write more than what I already have I want to get started on it in advance.


	13. Chapter Thriteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so stupid, oh my god. Sorry for yesterday. I was really tired and it was the last thing I did before going to bed. I woke up and was happy about new comments and the uh... yeah, turns out I uploaded a chapter twice. Sdjkajdkajld  
> This time it's the right chapter, promise.

“Peter?”

Peter’s head whipped up in surprise, looking in the direction where the voice had come from. There in the entrance of Harley’s lab stood Tony. Based on his clothes it was impossible to conclude whether he had just gotten out of bed or if he had never went to sleep. Sweatpants and an old T-shirt could mean anything, honestly. It was one of Tony’s bad habits; avoiding sleep like he could defeat his own biologie if he just tried long enough. Sometimes it was bad enough that even Harley grumbled about it and Harley’s sleep cycle was passing at best. 

Tony took in the picture in front of him. Peter was also in sweatpants and a blue hoodie which looked a lot like one Tony had seen on Harley before. Peter stood in the middle of the lab in fluffy socks and a pair of somewhat stylish safety glasses - because Harley refused to wear any of those ridiculous things that looked like goggles - over his own glasses. The table in front of him was littered with vials of liquid and different kind of beakers. Only a few lights were on as if not to disturb the nightly vibe. The skyline of Manhattan lined the glass walls like a high quality picture in a luxurious hotel room. Peter didn’t like he should be in bed. Judging by his state of wakefulness it could be the middle of the day. This was not unusual for Tony himself but he sure did not like seeing any of the kids up at 3am in the morning. The sun hadn’t even faintly announced its presence yet.

“Whatcha doing up, kid?” Tony asked without judgment in his voice. If anyone wasn’t allowed to judge another one’s sleeping habits it would be him. He wanted to, obviously, but after finding Harley awake at similar times in his lab and failing to make him go back to bed, Tony had learned it was better to indulge in these antics when they appeared rather than try and defeat them. As long as it didn’t happen too often. He’d have to try with logical reasoning then because the threat of no TV for the next day had somewhat lost its charm.

Peter glanced to the table filled with materials and gestured to it vaguely as if it would make sense to an outsider. “Couldn’t sleep. Was thinking, had an idea.” He shrugged. “Decided to try it.”

Tony smiled and came closer. He was very familiar with sudden night-time ideas which couldn’t wait until the morning. Some people insisted it wasn’t wise to interrupt patterns for every new idea and Tony would agree but then he’d be a hypocrite because he dropped everything for a good idea. Or any idea, really. His private server was filled with drafts, ideas and unfinished projects. Whether an idea was good or bad could usually only be said once it was too late. Everyone who said otherwise had clearly never been involved in any inventing process ever. Sadly night-time ideas had the bad quality of often being bad ideas or only fragments of a solution to a problem which would then keep you up until the wee hours where you would pull out your own hair in frustration. “And was the idea any good?”

Peter inclined his head indecisively. “Don’t know yet, honestly. I’m kinda slow right now.”

“Sleep could help with that,” Tony offered gently. Pepper said getting Tony to sleep when he was like this was similar to dissecting a bomb; even the slightest push in the wrong direction and Tony would get some new idea and refuse to even listen to Pepper until he was done. He kind of understood what she meant. “People say it can help to improve brain performance. You should try it.”

Peter smiled tiredly and shook his head, having expected a statement like this to come his way. “I could say the same about you, Mr. Stark.” Deflection at its finest.

Tony made a face both at the name and at the response, mostly the latter though because it was impossible to get Peter to call him Tony. He had tried, relentlessly, telling him over and over again but Peter refused for some reason so Tony had given up. Peter knew the offer was on the table and could take it whenever he wanted. “Sleep is for the uninspired,” Tony deadpanned and Peter laughed. 

“I guess.”

“I’ll go to bed when I run out of ideas.”

“No offense, Mr. Stark, but I have the feeling that won’t ever happen.”

Tony sighed almost tiredly and scratched his goatee. It was the same thing Pepper always said. “I know, kid.”

Peter looked at him for a long moment, his two pair of glasses making his eyes appear bigger than they should be. It was this calculating gaze free of judgment. Tony knew it from Pepper but with her there was always this hint of… gentle caringness of someone who didn’t completely get it but wanted to help nevertheless. Peter’s was simply understanding and open almost. He obviously saw the problem at hand but he didn’t address it, aware that Tony knew. There was this unspoken, mutual understanding of two people who shared the same experience. 

“So then,” Tony took inspection of the materials and leaned against the table, “what’s so important you had to work on it at 3am?”

“Oh…” Peter rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not… you weren’t supposed to see it yet.”

Tony looked at him and raised a curious eyebrow. “No? A surprise?”

“Not a surprise. It’s my… university application I guess,” Peter waved his hand and looked somewhere else pointedly, “and for the scholarship.”

The scholarship, right. The one Peter had accepted after a long period of thinking about it. Harley had reassured Tony he had done everything in his power to convince his boyfriend he was more than allowed to take the offer but Peter was stubborn so there was nothing they could do to further convince him other than giving him the time and reassurance he needed to decide. 

This was quite a while ago and Tony had wanted to make a presentation with all the points why Peter more than deserved this scholarship. Him actually wanting to make a presentation was a miracle in itself, actually, but he had restrained himself under Pepper’s watchful eye. He hadn’t even mentioned it whenever Peter had been over because it would put pressure on the kid and make him even more reluctant to accept. Pepper had lectured him on this multiple times. It was the first time Tony had someone vehemently refusing to accept his money right on the spot. He didn’t know what to think of it because it made him feel strangely helpless and out of his depth. Throwing money at something or someone usually worked. Pepper had needed to reassure him several times he didn’t need to add a car and a new house to the offer to make it more appealing. It was bizarre to say the least.

“Kid, you don’t need an application for the scholarship,” Tony said. Harley had told him about this already. Peter’s plan to submit something when he applied for university and not rely solely on Tony’s letter of recommendation. This letter would get him anywhere without questions. “Honestly, you-”

“I know, I know,” Peter interrupted him and shuffled his feet timidly. “I know you’d just… give it to me. Harley said that a dozen times and it’s not like I don’t believe him… or you, really. It’s just…” he shrugged, “for myself… maybe. I just want to have something to actually earn it, like something I did for it.”

“Pete, you’re smart, you don’t need to prove-”

“It’s not a proof, it’s just for my guilt complex.”

Tony closed his mouth. Well, that was a statement. Could have come from him.

Peter sent him a sheepish smile. “Too honest, sorry. It’s the truth though. I have issues with feeling like a burden to others. You should ask May or any of my friends, really. Harley can sing you a song about it.” He traced the rim of one of the beakers with the tip of his finger. “This just makes it easier on my consciousness.”

Tony needed a moment to process but then hummed. He could understand to some degree. He felt better giving people tech and money in all circumstances because he didn’t know how else to express gratitude. He felt like he had gotten better but he wasn’t sure. Peter felt like he needed to level out whatever he had been offered as help. Tony understood a scholarship was a lot for Peter. It truly was something life-changing for him so he guessed the need for compensation might be there. Surely not with everyone. Some would accept without a second thought but their situation was indeed a little unique. 

Harley had said Peter didn’t want to feel like he was leeching off of their money which everyone knew he wasn’t but money was a sensitive subject. Even Harley had adjusted his usual spending habits around Peter and had quickly realized overpriced gifts were absolutely inadequate. It was something Tony had realized as well with Pepper. She was used to his perception of money so she rarely said anything since most gifts came with a lot of thought nowadays but in their earlier days she had yelled at him about house-sized bunnies among other things. Romance was not as easy as people made it out to be.

“So you’ve been working on this?” Tony gestured towards the table and Peter nodded. “For a while now, yeah. It’s not like… done yet so I didn’t want to show you.”

Tony pursed his lips, taking in the materials but while he was indeed a scientist and engineer in many fields he had to admit he could not come to a conclusion with just the hints he had at hand. “Well then,” he straightened up and lifted himself onto the table right next to Peter’s, “file me in on your process.” 

Peter looked reluctant. “It’s really not done yet, Mr. Stark.”

“I know, just explain what you already have and I’ll let you know where you’re at.”

Peter sighed. “I’m not supposed to let the one who’s going to judge it help me. That’s like cheating.”

Tony scoffed. “Oh, come on, kid. It’s not cheating. You tell me what you’re doing and I’ll let you know what I think. What you do with that is up to you. Take it as some advice or guidance. You’re free to ignore it if you so please.”

Peter still looked reluctant about the idea. 

“Just imagine I’m your investor and the scholarship is your funding. You always pitch your ideas to your investors when they are in the early stages of development so you can fund your research. That’s all we’re doing here.”

This managed to get a small but positive reaction out of Peter. “At three in the morning?” he asked with a chuckle. “In sweatpants?”

“The circumstances are irrelevant,” Tony said easily. Besides, he sometimes attended meetings in sweatpants. He was known for wearing outrageously overpriced suits to all kinds of gatherings but you could just as easily find him in T-shirts from Walmart and grease-stained sweatpants. The way you carried yourself counted. If you were confident in what you said people would lend you an ear. If not, they didn’t deserve your time. “Sway me with your idea, youngling, and the funding shall be yours.” It would be Peter’s no matter how well he managed to present his idea or even the idea itself but Peter didn’t need to know that. This was all just fun and games after all, nothing really completely serious and Peter seemed to be aware of this. 

He stared at his workstation for some long moments before releasing a deep breath. “Would you like a demonstration with that pitch, Mr. Stark?” Peter asked like a server at a restaurant asking his customer which wine he’d prefer with his smoked salmon. 

“Why yes, of course,” Tony answered in the same ridiculous tone. “Demonstrate away, young padawan.”

Peter laughed and shook his head. “Alright. Karen, can you save what I did now as the newest trial and pull up an empty holoboard?”

“Right away, Peter,” a sweet female voice chimed and did as asked.

Tony had seen Karen in action before, mostly when Harley had programmed her. It was the first fully fleshed out AI his son had programmed and Tony was quite impressed. As far as Tony knew the AI had been a present for Peter’s 21st birthday and was now installed on his laptop, cellphone and in Harley’s lab at the tower.

While Friday perfectly represented what Tony and Harley wanted from her, depending on whom she was currently working with, Karen was tailored to Peter specifically. She took his dyslexia into account and displayed writing in specific fonts, sizes and colors. She was also more capable of reading and compiling information out of texts and had an impressive voice to text function which had some work still left to do. Tony had also noticed Karen was very… sweet. She did joke around but she also complimented Peter and offered gentle advice. Friday was more sarcastic at times because that’s what Tony and Harley needed. Karen was different and Tony had overheard Harley talking to her to check how she responded and while Friday would snark and offer sassy comments, Karen offered advice and an open ear. 

It was nice to see Peter actually using her. They fit together quite well.

“Alright,” Peter started and Tony straightened up. Time to listen. “I’ve had this idea for a while but after high school I never had access to a lab again until Harley so I wasn’t able to improve my approach for quite some time. To put it simply; it’s a dissolving material which could potentially substitute at least some of the plastic we’re currently using.”

This was not what Tony had expected but he was intrigued immediately. Stark Industries was always looking for more eco-friendly solutions and were actively involved in the stop or at least slowing of climate change. It was a project important to Tony and Pepper alike and both were very much involved in the entire process. He listened without interruption as Peter explained his first drafts and trials, what the problems were and how the had solved many of them already. He broke down the markup of the material, how it could be produced in larger quantities and which issues might result from it. 

When it came to explaining how the material dissolved Peter pulled up over the empty holoscreen and did some calculations and drawings so it was easier to follow along. Every possible issue Tony could think of Peter was aware of and pointed them out without trying to hide anything. He explained solutions and why they might or might not work and how he could try each of them. There were some problems he admitted he hadn’t solved yet but most of them were in the later stages of production, the material itself was already existing. 

Peter started with pointing out each component on the table and what it did as a recap of what he had explained before in theory. He then got to mixing which was a quick and easy process since the measuring had happened before Tony had entered the lab. The liquids were combined and some white smoke rose from the beaker. Peter stirred the mixture and right in front of Tony’s eyes the liquid transformed into some strange substance he had never seen before. Unable to help his own curiosity he slipped down from the table and leaned in to take a closer look. When Peter pulled back the acrylic stick he had used for stirring the semi-translucent substance stuck to it like the most stubborn chewing gum in the world. 

“It sticks for a while,” Peter said. “But once the reaction is all done it doesn’t. Right now it’s a bit like spider silk. It won’t rip under strain. You could go bungee jumping with this and it would hold.”

Tony took the small stick from Peter and lifted it up. The beaker came with it after a bit of initial stretch, the substance refusing to let go even as Tony tried to tug them apart. He had never seen anything like this before and he wanted to touch it but he didn’t want the stuff to stick to his fingers for who knows how long. “How long have you been working on this?” he asked.

“Actively?” Peter asked before taking a moment to think. “Like I said, I had the idea in high school but I never got around to actually testing it. I picked it up again when I tried to think of a project so… a few weeks I think?”

Tony escaped a fascinated sound and he shook his head. “Kid, you really don’t have to worry about getting into any university with this. You’re really onto something here.” He put the beaker down again and turned towards Peter who actually looked surprised.

“Really? I mean, it’s not done yet-”

“And that’s exactly the point of you going to university,” Tony said. “Because there you’ll learn more and have people help you figure out all the nitty gritty details so this works just as intended. You’re already halfway there.” He patted Peter’s shoulder. “You’ve done good work.”

Peter blinked a few times. “Oh…” He clearly hadn’t expected such a good and encouraging response. Tony chuckled softly. “Consider your research funded, Peter. The investors are impressed and happy to support you.”

Peter opened and closed his mouth, unable to find the right words. “I… that’s… thank you… Mr. Stark, really, I…”

Tony squeezed his shoulder. “You deserve it, Peter. You really do and I’m more than happy to support you. With what you already have I don’t think there is anything for me to add since you’re already well on the way of figuring it out all by yourself. I’m just giving you some backup.” Those were honestly words. Tony wanted to help Peter and wanted to see him succeed. This presentation of his idea just now had only added fuel to the already raging fire. There was no doubt in his mind that Peter would be great. His learning disability wouldn’t stop him from inventing things beyond their imagination. He had his heart in the right place and deserved the same chance as everyone else to prove it to the world. Tony was more than honored to be the one supporting him.

What Tony had no expected was to find Peter looking at him with tearful puppy eyes like Tony was… some sort of saint… Santa Claus or… or something. Some tears made it past Peter’s waterline and down his cheeks and Tony couldn’t deny panicking just a little. Just like when your experiment suddenly caught on fire and you had no idea why. Tony was sure he had missed this chapter in the parenting book he had never read and he felt very unprepared. He couldn’t really ask Friday either now could he?

“Shit kid,” Tony waved his hands around useless as if that would help. “The last time Harley cried he was twelve and fell down the stairs. I’m not qualified to deal with a crying child.”

Peter sniffed. “I’m twenty one, Mr. Stark.”

“Still a child in my books. Please stop leaking, you’ll dehydrate. I heard that was bad.”

Peter laughed wetly. “Sorry, I’m a bit of a mess. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Fuck.”

Tony blinked. “I didn’t know you even knew how to swear.”

“My aunt’s originally from Queens. She tried but…” Peter shrugged.

“Ah, that explains some things.”

Tony still didn’t really know what to do but hugs helped, right? Usually. He liked it when Pepper hugged him or when Harley hugged him. It should be the same with Peter, right? Perhaps he could just… Yeah, okay.

At first Peter tensed, having expected a lot of thing but not a hug from Tony Stark. It was a bit stiff and awkward at first but Peter had always been one to enjoy hugs and decided he was allowed to hug back when Tony had been the one to initiate it. For Peter this was… foreign almost. No completely because he could still faintly remember the frequent hugs he had shared with Ben even after all these years. It was far away but the memory was ingrained into his head. Hugging Tony was different and new but also familiar in a sense. It felt nice and comfortable.

“This is nice,” Peter blurted out quietly and Tony chuckled. “Glad you like it, kid.”

Usually Peter would feel embarrassed but right now it didn’t feel like he was hugging Tony Stark, one of the most influential men on the planet, but like he was hugging his boyfriend’s dad who had just helped him out with someone and was there to have his back. It was a really nice feeling.

Tony patted Peter’s back a few times before he leaned back and took another close look at him to make sure he wasn't still crying. Thankfully the tears had stopped and Tony nodded in a satisfied manner. His plan had worked and Peter hadn’t freaked out which were all good outcomes in his book. Besides, he truly did care for Peter in a similar way to how he cared for Harley and seeing him sad was not what he wanted. Even when it weren’t really sadness tears.

The moment was interrupted when Peter yawned widely, barely managing to hide it behind his hand. Tony chuckled and shook his head. “Okay, time for bed. Enough tinkering for today. Kids need to sleep.”

Peter smiled. “21, Mr. Stark.”

Tony waved his hand dismissively. “I refuse to hear that. I’m an ignorant man. Harley is still like… fourteen.”

“Well, maturity-wise; yes.”

Tony snorted and shook his head. “Shoo, shoo, go cuddle or whatever.”

Peter glanced at the table but seemed to decide to leave it until tomorrow, Karen had already saved everything anyway. Good, otherwise Tony would have kicked him out of the lab himself. Peter was already half out the door when he leaned back again. “Mr. Stark?”

“Hm?” Tony looked up. Peter smiled softly and it made Tony feel strangely warm around his heart. “Thank you.” He slipped away without waiting for a response and Tony was left alone. He took time to process everything that had just happened, took another look at Peter’s work and then shook his head with a sigh. “The kid’s a genius,” he mumbled to himself. “Friday dear?”

“Yes, boss?”

“Would you please set up a fund for Peter’s research.”

“You already set up the scholarship, boss.”

Tony shook his head. “Yeah, I mean for when he leaves university. For when he’s done.”

Friday was silent for a moment. “Of course. What should I name it?”

“Let’s go with Spider Silk Project.”

“Would you like to transfer money to it right away?”

Tony hummed in confirmation. “We’ll go with ten million for now. I’ll see how much we’ll need to adjust.”

“Very well. The fund is registered and in place.”

“Thanks dear.”

“Always a pleasure, boss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this interaction. Some sacred Tony and Peter time just had to be in this.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Harley was rudely ripped out of his dreams by some… some _noise_. It came from somewhere but he was too disorientated to locate where or even figure out what it was. He didn’t know where he was. What was his name? Who was he? What? He rolled over, getting tangled in his blanket and forced his eyes to open. Right, he was in bed, at home. His head was on his pillow and he was trying to strangle his blanket with his legs. Harley sniffed and dragged a hand down his face. 

The noise continued. It sounded awfully familiar and it took Harley another second to realize it was his phone. Still sleep-driven and somewhat out of it he pawed around in the general direction of the noise. His eyes were barely open when he found it. A grunt escaped him as Harley turned the screen towards his face and was assaulted by a bright light. Clumsily he managed to accept the call, because apparently someone was calling him, and flopped his head forward against his phone. “Whn?” was the grunt Harley managed to get out, eyes closing once again and mind drifting off to sleep. 

“Harley!”

Harley snorted out of surprise and startled himself awake. Fucking hell. “Wha? Huh? M’ he’n,” he babbled, not even knowing what he was trying to say. 

Wait, he was on the phone… Who the fuck had called him? While he was sleeping! What time was it even? 

Harley lifted his head and looked at the screen again. The light really hurt his eyes. After some squinting he found out it was 5am - the fuck?! - and the one on the other end of the line was no other than his beloved boyfriend who was currently saying something if the quite frantic babbling was anything to go by. Harley fiddled with his phone to pick it up properly while simultaneously trying to detangle himself from his blanket. If Peter called him then it was surely something important. At least it should be since it was 5am and Harley really loved his boyfriend but he had been up until 3am and was usually not functioning before nine or ten anyway which Peter knew better than anyone. Peter might be an alien which could get up half a minute after being woken but Harley certainly wasn’t of the same species.

“Wait, stop, stop,” he said, voice raspy and brain still not completely running. “Wait, just… a second.” The line fell silent and Harley took a moment to peel his eyes open again. When had they closed? “Friday, lights 20%.” The lights were turned up just a little but it helped to kickstart Harley’s brain and to keep him awake. He scrubbed a hand down his face again, sniffed one more time for good measure and patted his own back mentally since he had managed to sit up. “Okay,” he rasped. “Okay, I’m listenin’. What’s… what’s goin’ on?”

Silence greeted him and he actually had to check it the call was still going which it was. “Pete?” Harley asked, slowly starting to worry. 

There was a loud sigh coming from Peter and Harley waited for him to speak up anxiously. “The- uh…” More silence. Harley had no idea what was going on and was too tired to come up with any sort of guesses. “I… I got the email… from NYU.”

Harley needed a moment. Two… three actually before things clicked into place. “Ah…” He slapped his own cheek lightly to wake himself up further. “Okay, okay. Did you open it?”

“I mean… it’s just saying that there’s… you know… a status update on the… the website.”

Harley nodded his head slowly. “Yeah they-” he gestured with is hand because words were rather slow at the moment- “they upload some letter or something. N’ that says whether you go in or not.”

Peter took a shaky breath. “Yeah, yeah I know, the… I was there when MJ and Ned got some of their uh… the thing so uh… yeah, I know, I just…” he trailed off. Harley forced himself to try and figure out what was going on. Was Peter scared of opening the letter? Of…. being rejected? Harley knew that wasn’t a possibility and Peter should too but he assumed there was still some doubt in his mind. High school had really done a number on Peter and his confidence in his academic capabilities. If he could Harley would go and yell at all the teachers who hadn’t supported him but he knew it wouldn’t help anyone except for satisfying some senseless revenge monster in his head. 

“It’s okay. You worked on that project really hard and and me and May checked all your essays. Your application was spotless.” Harley knew saying not to worry because he had the letter of recommendation wouldn’t be helpful. Peter really didn’t believe it it’s undeniable power or didn’t allow himself to belief in it. He wanted and hoped for his own effort to be enough. Harley would love to do the same but he had seen how unfair academics could be and hadn’t wanted to take any chances. 

An uncertain noise came from Peter and it made Harley’s heart ache. “Hey, it’s gonna be fine.”

Another noise from Peter. Harley wanted to throw himself across the blocks between them and cuddle up next to him. Had he known the admissions would be sent out today be would have slept over just for moral support. Peter was probably sitting on his bed with his old laptop, anxiously staring at the screen and maybe hugging the dog plushie Harley had gotten him for Valentines Day. 

“Can you open it?” Peter asked meekly and Harley blinked in surprise. “Me?”

“Yeah, I’m… I’m really nervous like… I think I’m going to throw up and- no, not really but kind of but I’m just really fucking nervous and I don’t think I can read it and I’m scared of reading the wrong thing and then thinking I got in but I didn’t and I don’t wanna-” Peter cut himself off and took a shaky breath. “I don’t think I can read anything right now.”

“Ah.” Harley understood and nodded his head sadly. “Yeah, of course. Wait, just lemme get my tablet. Can you send me your login stuff?”

“Mhm.” There was typing in the background and a moment later Harley’s phone pinged. 

“Thanks.” He had gotten out of bed and staggered over to his desk where his tablet was. Fumbling with both devices was a little difficult so he flopped back down onto his bed and dropped the tablet in his lap. “Video call?” 

Peter hesitated for a moment before he agreed and they switched to video call. Harley increased the lights some more and smiled at Peter as soon as his face appeared on the screen of his phone. “Morning sunshine.”

Peter scrunched up his nose but didn’t object the cheesy nickname otherwise. His hair was messy and his glasses sat a bit askew on his nose. The only light came from his bedside lamp and the sweater he was wearing was crumpled probably from sleep. Harley spotted the light fur from the golden retriever plushie and smiled to himself. 

“I have work in like two hours and I feel like I’m about to pass out.”

Harley grimaced. “Please don’t. Not because of work but because of my poor heart. Once I’m over there to catch you and can fan you like egyptian princess you can pass out, kay?”

“I’d rather not pass out at all. Did that once and it was not fun.”

Harley grunted. “Can imagine. Please don’t do it again.”

“M’ not planning to.”

It was quiet while Harley pulled up the website and logged into Peter’s profile. Meanwhile Peter was biting his lip in worry and running his fingers through the plushie’s fur repeatedly to calm himself down. Harley got in, the blue ‘New Status Update’ greeting him and he looked up at Peter. “Ready?”

Peter took a deep breath, held it for 5 seconds and then release it slowly. “Yeah… it… descison’s done… it’s… yeah.” He clutched the plushie tighter.

Harley searched for his boyfriend’s eyes and received another nod, more sure this time and nodded back. He clicked onto the update and a white page with writing opened. “Dear Mr. Parker…” The rest he mumbled to himself, eyes flitting across the words and looking for that one line which was more important than anything. “We are…” Harley read it for himself once and closed his eyes. Peter was probably freaking out but he couldn't help himself. He smiled softly and glanced at his spooked boyfriend before looking at his tablet’s screen again. “We are delighted to offer you admission to NYU’s class of 2026. All your materials have been mailed to you and we look forward to welcoming you on campus soon.” The rest of the letter wasn’t important at the moment.

It was almost as if the connection was interrupted and Peter was frozen on screen but the call was still ongoing. “Congrats, Peter,” Harley said softly with a smile on his face. “You made it.”

Peter’s mouth dropped open, his eyes were impossibly wide. “I… I’m in?”

Harley nodded, a warm feeling taking over his entire body. He had rarely felt this happy for someone else but right now it was spreading through him. “Yeah, you’re in.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah.”

Peter covered his mouth with on hand, dog plushie caught in his arm, and stared down at his bed. The phone was angled so Harley could still see his face so he saw his eyes filling up with tears and rolling down his cheeks silently. Peter wasn’t even focused on the call anymore, his breathing was all shaky and he was crying and Harley felt like crying himself. Maybe he was. 

“Hey, this is good,” he croaked. “You got in, you… you’re going to university.”

Peter made a shaky sound, still not looking at Harley. He then stood up, dropping his phone and shuffled around. Harley got a bit worried for a second, trying to move his own phone but obviously that didn’t help anything. Thankfully his view changed again as Peter picked the phone up and put it on his desk where he was sat down. He had his laptop open and typed in something. He then clicked once and his eyes shifted as if he was reading. Harley realized he was checking for himself so he remained quiet as Peter read that one line over and over again until it had finally registered in his head. 

He swallowed heavily. “F-fuck…” Peter leaned back in his chair, plushie still in his arm and eyes still wide. They slowly trailed over to Harley who was waiting patiently. “I…” Peter couldn’t grasp any proper words. “I’m… I’m in.”

“Yeah.” Harley would confirm as often as he had to. 

“I’m… going to university.”

Harley smiled widely. “You are.”

Peter cradled his face in his hands. “Fuck… Holy shit- I… I didn’t…” he trailed off, unable to finish the thought. He hadn’t thought he’d actually get in. Hoped, of course, but he hadn’t allowed himself to fully belief in it. It had just seemed way too far away to ever become reality. Peter flapped his hands around because he didn’t know what else to do.

“Do you need to scream?”

“I need to fucking-” More hand flapping. “FUCK!”

Harley laughed with his whole chest.

“Is this what life is like?” Peter looked almost manically. “I’m fucking- I’m gonna explode! JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!”

Harley couldn’t stop laughing and Peter leaned in closer to his phone so his face filled the entire screen. “Harley, I’m going to fucking university!”

“Yeah, you are”

Peter punched his table. “I’m a fucking legend.”

“Yes, you are!”

“Jesus.”

Peter’s excitement was contagious and Harley really, really wanted to be with him at this moment. He hated the distance between them.“I wanna kiss you so fucking hard right now.”

“And I’m gonna jump you as soon as I see that handsome-ass-face of yours in my vicinity. I’m gonna vault the counter at work.”

Harley choked on his laugh and had to cough several times to get air back into his lungs again. “Peter, oh my god!”

Peter leaned back a little, sheepish expression on his face. “Sorry, sorry, I’m just-” he waved his hand and squished the dog plushie- “just really, really happy right now. I didn’t think I’d ever actually get to do this.”

“Vaulting the counter to jump me?” Harley smirked. “I’d like to see that.” 

“Oh shut it.” Peter swatted at the camera aimlessly. There was this genuine smile on his face that wouldn’t dim no matter what. His eyes were sparkling and Harley loved seeing him like this. The entire experience had been a rollercoaster for both of them and he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to make it the remaining almost two hours before he could go see Peter and actually kiss him. Sleep be damned. He’s just stay up and pace or make pancakes for Peter or something. Maybe go bug his dad and tell him about the news.

“I’m really proud of you,” Harley said softly and Peter ducked his head. For a moment it looked like he wanted to protest like he usually did, come up with excuses why this was nothing to be proud of but then decided against it. Instead he smiled and accepted the compliment. “Thank you.”

Harley nodded his head in approval. Peter had every right to be proud of himself. Getting into university was no easy feat and his project had been amazing. “Now you can go tell everyone.” Finally because Peter had kept it all under wraps. The only people who knew were Harley, Tony, Pepper and May. Harley had respected his decision but now he couldn’t wait to celebrate with the rest of their friends. They’d be excited as well without doubt. 

Peter groaned. “Oh man, I don’t even know how to do that. Oh shit, I gotta tell May!” He jumped up and scrambled to pick up his phone. “Harley, I love you and you’re the light of my life. I gotta go, see you later!” With that the call disconnected before Harley could even say anything. He stared at his lockscreen and slowly started pouting. “Love you too,” he said to no one and as if Peter had heard it he sent a heart a second later. Harley chuckled and sent one back. 

Peter’s life was about to change completely and he couldn’t wait to be a part of this next step for him. 

Peter also didn’t vault the counter when Harley entered the café at five past seven in a very sleep deprived state. He was civilized enough to just grab the front of Harley’s jacket and pull him in for a kiss. The customers behind him looked like startled owls when the two just continued like nothing had happened. Harley got his coffee and sandwich while grinning like an idiot. He sat down at the corner where the barstools were so he could stick close to Peter. Call him stupid for waiting about five hours for Peter’s break but he was more than willing to do that. 

Then they could sneak up to Peter’s room and make out properly for a while. Then Harley would probably fall asleep in Peter’s bed and Peter would join him after his shift because neither of them had gotten much sleep. 

Harley was already looking forward to making out and sleepy cuddles.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I worked out this morning for the first time in three years (what is quarantine doing to me???) and I was winded after the 120 second warm up so... yeah.

(Abe - Abelicious, Sally - SaSaLeLe, Cindy - Moon, MJ - OGLesbian, Ned - Nedward, Harley - RealPotato, Peter - I_Cant_Read, Charles - Charleston, Betty - MeowMeow_Bitch)

**Fre ShA Va Ca DoO - SQUAD**

_ 13:18 _

I_Cant_Read: I have an announcement to make

OGLesbian: please enlighten us

SaSaLeLe: good announcement or bad announcement?

SaSaLeLe **:** like, do I need a dress for it?

RealPotato: no dress

SaSaLeLe: … ?

RealPotato: sry

Moon: wait I’m here, what’s goin on?

Abelicious: 👀

I_Cant_Read: happy 

I_Cant_Read: but wanna tell you in person

Nedward: I wanna know! When do you all have time?

Charleston: I have like 35 essays in need to write lol

Charleston: just tell me when and I can ditch the essays

SaSaLeLe: Procrastination

MeowMeow_Bitch: is a Bitch

MeowMeow_Bitch: evening is better?

OGLesbian: for me yeah

Abelicious: same

Moon: can we manage today?

Nedward: can’t, I have this meet up for my coding group and last time we were on it until after midnight

OGLesbian: ew

Nedward: we were on a roll

Nedward: tmrw?

RealPotato: if it’s after 8 then yes

SaSaLeLe: 8:30 everyone?

Abelicious: fine with me

Moon: me too!

MeowMeow_Bitch: yeah me too

OGLesbian: yup

I_Cant_Read: we can have the cafe

SaSaLeLe: Sleepover? 👀

I_Cant_Read: if you wanna? old rules apple

I_Cant_Read: apply

RealPotato: you had sleepovers at the café??!!?

MeowMeow_Bitch: yeah sometimes. May starts baking at 6 or something? And it has to be spotless before it opens so it’s not like you can sleep in but it’s fun

Nedward: let’s be honest, we usually didn’t sleep

OGLesbian: yeah but we can get a coffee before we go so it’s fine

RealPotato: let’s do that!

RealPotato: alcohol allowed?

Abelicious: dude, we’re all 21, that’s a requirement! I can bring tequila

OGLesbian: if you forget the lemons again I’m gonna skin you

Abelicious: lemons will be there

Charleston: I’m in

Charleston: welp, bye bye essays

Moon: I have an 8am lecture, we die like people

Nedward: wise words

RealPotato: okay and what are the rules?

OGLesbian: nothing gets broken, we have to clean up so the café can open on time, no one else is allowed to come, if we make a mess we have to clean it up… last time only light alcohol was allowed but that’s obsolete now

Charleston: if the cops come we’re in trouble but otherwise we’re okay

RealPotato: okay that all sounds very reasonable

Abelicious: it’s May, she’s the chillest adult/parent ever

RealPotato: lmao true

RealPotato: but I think that’s mostly because Pete was such a chill kid

I_Cant_Read: ?

OGLesbian: true

RealPotato: I made my old man’s life hard for the longest time

MeowMeow_Bitch: yeah that doesn’t surprise me at all

Charleston: yeah dude, I’ve only known you for like a year and a half but I feel sorry for your dad. If you were half as adventurous as you are now when you were a teen...

RealPotato: lol

RealPotato: I’m a lot more chill now to be honest

SaSaLeLe: homeschooled

SaSaLeLe: those people are just different

I_Cant_Read: so 8:30 café? I made a cake that we can’t sell caus it’s not pretty :( so we can half that tomorow

Moon: lol yeah we’ll take the ugly cake

I_Cant_Read: thanks

Abelicious: cake is cake

RealPotato: I can bring some alcohol

Nedward: my mom made way too much kutsinta so I can probably sneak some

SaSaLeLe: me and Cindy will bring snacks!

Charleston: yeah maybe I have some stuff lying around as well

OGLesbian: I have a voucher for pizza? I can pick that up omw

Abelicious: yesss

  
  
  


“Do you have the lemons?” MJ asked as soon as Abe stepped up to the group. He was the last to join them and he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I have the lemons.” He pointed towards his backpack. “And the tequila and my toothbrush.”

MJ smirked and nodded her head. “Good.” She was holding two cartons of pizza, another three were in Charles’ arms and Cindy was holding two as well. They were young adults, they could eat seven pizzas if they wanted to. Besides, they had the entire night.

“It’s cold,” Betty whined, jumping from foot to foot in a small dance. It was a desperate attempt to keep warm in early February. New York was cold and unforgiving and the little dance didn’t help much with that. Ned shuffled closer to his girlfriend and wrapped an arm around her. He himself was in a thick jacket, scarf, beanie and gloves. The last snow had melted about a day ago but knowing New York it wouldn’t be long before fresh powder fell from the sky in the universe’s neverending attempt to annoy every New Yorker to the max. The only ones happy about the snow were the few straggler tourists from Australia apparently. 

Sally pulled her phone out of the pocket of her wool-lined jacket. “I texted Peter two minutes ago. We can wait another minute and then maybe call him because I don’t wanna freeze before we get to the pizza.” Or for the pizza to freeze. That would honestly be even harder to get over. 

Thankfully they didn’t have to wait much longer or turn into human popsicles - or lose the pizza. Peter opened the door to the café only moments later and they hurried inside. The tall windows were covered by blinds so no one was able to see inside. Peter was dressed in a thick hoodie and soft sweatpants. The stupid fur-lined, white cat slippers MJ had gotten him for Christmas were on his feet together with a pair of fluffy socks - the pain of getting cold feet easily. His hair was curly and a little damp from a recent shower. Harley kissed his cheek as he went past and Peter smiled softly. He locked the door, the key attached to a rather crowded ring of keys and a panda keychain. It was obviously May’s.

They all dropped their bags in the corner opposite of the entrance. Peter had pulled the tables together so there was a spot free of them with just the plush, comfy chair, blankets and lots of pillows. It was strange to see the café after closing time with only a fraction of the lights being on, the display being void of any food and the faint music in the background being a song from Peter’s own playlist. Harley found the space would make a perfect spot to party with some colorful lights and less furniture but having it like this was somehow more special. A café after closing time was kind of like seeing your teacher outside of the classroom setting. It was a bizarre experience and while you know it existed it was still strange to witness. 

“I brought my laptop and the projector if we want to watch a movie,” Ned said. Betty looked like she was already thinking about which movies she wanted to be on their watchlist. 

“Pizza first,” MJ decided and put the cartons down. It took a bit of sorting and shuffling around but then they were seated on the floor with blankets and pillows, pizzas displayed in the middle with everyone free to take whatever they wanted. Except for Cindy’s margarita, there you’d have to ask for a slice.

“So, Pete,” Abe said as he raised a new slice of pizza into the air, opening his mouth wide and guiding the floppy tip into his mouth. “What’cha tell’n us about?” Cindy made a face at his speaking with his mouth full.

Peter licked some grease off his lips. “In a bit,” he said easily, ignoring the whines and complains. Harley bit his lip so he wouldn’t laugh. Strangely enough he was excited as well. It wasn’t his surprise or his secret to tell but he felt giddy nevertheless. This was something he had wanted for Peter for so long and he wanted to tell the entire world. It was a feeling he often had; wanting to proclaim his love out loud but he dialed himself back. Sure, he took a ton of pictures, many of which were in Peter’s Memory Book which he had gotten for his last birthday, and Harley loved those but he often had to restrain himself so he wouldn’t constantly talk about Peter in circles where he probably shouldn’t talk about him.

They devoured most of the pizza and sorted the remaining slices into two cartons for later. Besides all of them behind full, they got out the different snacks. Peter fetched a cake from behind the counter, the top uneven and cracked. Apparently he had been reading and hadn’t realized he had set the oven on too high. As Abe had said; cake was cake, so they ate it anyway since the taste was no reliant on the visual. It seemed like it was a normal sleepover but it was clear everyone was waiting for Peter to spill the beans. They were staring like it would prompt Peter to do so faster. Harley just observed for a while before he couldn’t take it anymore.

He leaned back so he could mumble into Peter’s ear while Ned and Sally argued about whether or not the Lion King remake deserved rights or not. “You should release them from their suffering.”

Peter looked at him, his gaze oddly sincere. Almost like he was asking for… permission or advice. Harley took it in for a second, realizing Peter was hesitant. He sent a glance at the group that was mostly distracted and then turned to give Peter his undivided attention. A questioning crook of his head prompted Peter to sigh. “I feel stupid to turn this into a big deal,” he mumbled under his breath. The music was still going in the background, upbeat songs concealing their hushed conversation.

Harley frowned and made a disagreeing noise. “What? No, this is something to celebrate.” He shuffled a little closer. “They will wanna celebrate. They’ll be happy for you.”

Peter pressed his lips together, considering. His hair had dried curly and he looked so comfy in his outfit. Harley wanted to snuggle. He could do that later though, right now they had different matters to attend to. “Come on,” he urged softly. “I know you wanna tell.” Harley poked Peter in his side, wiggling his finger around and Peter squirmed. He made a noise of protest as the assault didn’t stop, slapping at Harley’s hand but Harley just smirked evilly and made his other hand join. 

Peter had sensitive sides, okay? So don’t blame him for the inhuman shriek that left him because Harley knew exactly where those spots were and abused that knowledge regularly. They toppled over, Peter trying to push Harley away with all his limbs while hiccuping around breathy laughs with Harley almost sitting on top of him and tickling away. 

“Nooo,” Peter whined around a giggle and pushed at Harley’s chest. “Stop it!”

“I don’t think I will,” Harley mocked. “This is fun.”

Peter grunted in disagreement, somehow got one leg under Harley and shoved him off with a foot to his stomach. He sat up with a huff, hair a mess and glasses almost sliding off his nose. His hoodie was twisted and it took a moment to straighten it out. 

“Oh fuck, that was the pizza,” Harley groaned from where he had landed, cradling his stomach and rolling onto his side.

“Ass,” Peter said without guilt and Harley smiled at him sweetly. 

“Gonna tell?” he asked and Peter pouted, knowing exactly Harley had done this to stop him from worrying. Upon realizing no one else was talking anymore Peter looked at the rest of the group who were staring at the two of them pointedly. Sally slowly lowered her phone with an amused glint in her eyes. 

“Do they deserve rights?” Cindy asked.

“Absolutely not,” Abe said.

Peter rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

Harley grinned in victory as Peter stood up and disappeared through the door into the backroom that doubled as storage and office. He was gone only for a few moments before he came back with a piece of paper. Harley could guess what it was and smiled to himself softly, now sitting upright again. 

Peter still looked hesitant for a few seconds, staring at the paper. Everyone waited for him to do the next step, sensing this was something serious. They knew Peter had said it was a happy announcement but for a second they still worried. None of them knew what this was about and while they had guesses they wouldn’t know until their received confirmation. 

The anxious waiting was over when Peter finally offered the paper to his friends as he sat down again. Ned was first to reach out and grab it, a frown on his face as he turned it to see what it was. Several expressions took over his face as he took in what was presented to him. Ned’s eyebrows furrowed before shooting up in surprise. His eyes switched back and forth, widening in shock and mouth dropping open. 

“Wh…” he trailed off, looking up at Peter who was staring at his feet pointedly. 

“What?” MJ asked, trying to get a look. 

Betty shook her boyfriend’s arm to get him working again. “What does it say?”

Ned’s brain was still reeling. He looked down at the paper again. “Dear Mr. Parker. Tha… Thank you for your applicating. The board has evaluated the provided materials and we are delighted to offer you admission to NYU’s class of 2026!?” Ned looked up at his best friend again. “You applied to NYU?!”

Peter nodded his head meekly. 

“You got in?!”

Another shy nod. Harley was preening off to the side.

“Holy shit! Oh my god, Peter!” Ned leaped forward and grabbed Peter to pull him into his embrace, almost crushing his rib cage with how tight the hug looked.

“Seriously?” Even MJ had lost her cool, she grabbed the paper almost frantically, reading the first few lines before a joyful shout escaped her. She didn’t hesitate and joined the hug, winding her arms around Peter as well and squeezing. The rest of the group huddled close as well, everyone shouting over one another, patting Peter and trying to give him crowded hugs. It was a mess and Harley smiled. He knew this would happen and he was happy for Peter. He really deserved it.

“When did you do that?!” Abe asked. 

“In December.”

“And you didn’t tell us?!”

Peter ducked his head. “Didn’t know if I’d get in… didn’t wanna tell anyone.”

Harley pursed his lips but didn’t say anything.

“This is amazing!” Cindy grabbed the paper to give it a read herself. “Oh my god, this is so cool. I’m so happy for you!”

“What did you apply for?” Charles asked eagerly. 

Peter smiled shyly. “Biochemistry.”

Charles snorted. “Yeah, of course. Why did I even ask, of course you’d go for the crazy science.”

Peter was still squished in Ned’s arms, his best friend looking like he wasn’t far from crying. There were more questions that popped up, everyone was excited and happy for their friend. Of course that one question had to be asked as well. 

“How are you gonna pay for it?” MJ asked softly. “Did May…”

Peter shook his head and glanced at Harley. Everyone followed. Harley shrugged. “Scholarship from my dad. He flipped his shit when I told him Peter isn’t going. Peter pitched an idea he had to him and he liked it so” he waved his hand, “full ride.”

“Damn,” Abe said in amazement. “I knew Pete here was a genius but it’s nice knowing other people see it too.”

Harley grinned. “Trust me, my dad loves him.”

Peter sent his boyfriend a pleading look, begging him to stop talking about this.

“This is the best day ever,” Ned sniffed. “I’m so happy for you man.”

Peter smiled at him. “Thank you.”

Sally agreed. “This really is a happy announcement. I could have worn a dress for this.”

Everyone laughed. Peter was congratulated several more times, his friends patted his back and reassured him he’d do great in university and if he needed help with absolutely anything they’d do their best to help him. Betty asked if he’d move out which Peter denied. He said he didn’t want to waste more money since he was already living close to NYU and he didn’t want to move out just yet. That and it was convenient because he could continue working at the café.

They got out the alcohol after this, watched the remake of Lion King which Ned complained about loudly. At some point everyone was a little drunk while Pitch Perfect was shown on the wall. Betty was leaning against Ned, MJ had a beer in one hand and a lemon in the other, Abe was snorting with his head in Sally’s lap and Charles was munching on his third bag of chips. Apparently he was stressed because of his essays and needed the distraction.

Peter was lying half on Harley who was running his hand through his boyfriend’s hair, occasionally twirling some of the curls around his finger. “You’re gonna be the bestest university student ever,” he proclaimed with a slurry voice.

Peter grunted into his chest in confirmation. “Damn straight I’ll-” a hiccup or a small burp interrupted him. Harley just smiled with adoring hearts in his eyes. “Bestest student ever.”

Harley hummed. “Bestest student ever.”

Four hours later May entered the café, finding a cuddle pile of young adults who were nibbling on chips half-heartedly or snoring contently. Say Yes To The Dress was being displayed the wall.

“Oh my,” she mumbled but couldn’t stop finding it mildly amusing. 

“Hey May,” Peter slurry, having lifted his head from Harley’s chest who was snoring happily. His eyes were barely open and one of his cheeks was red with sleep lines running across it. His glasses were sliding down his nose and on a good way to the floor. “I’m going to… university.”

May chuckled. “I know sweetheart, but first you’re gonna clean up, hm? And then probably go to bed.”

“Oh yeah...” Peter’s head thunked back onto Harley’s chest who startled awake with a choked snort. “Bed...”

Betty was the first to get onto her feet and tugged a blanket away from Ned. “Up and at ‘em, honey bear,” she said. Ned just groaned. “Sweet Jesus, salvation is near.”

“I have a lecture in two hours,” Cindy wailed. “I crave death.”

“You want some in your coffee, sweety?” May asked as she rounded the counter and got the machine working. “One round of coffee for everyone?”

A chorus of slurred pleas reached her. 

“Treason,” Peter cried into Harley’s chest. 

“I still love you even when you’re a Brit,” Harley mumbled sleepily. 

Peter sniffed. “I hate this country.” He squirmed on top of Harley. “My head hurts.”

“Welcome to university life,” Charles said from where he was lying face-down on a pillow. “Where we die like people.”

May finished their coffees and disappeared into the kitchen to prepare everything. Everyone needed a while to restart their brains but slowly managed to get going. It was a lot of uncoordinated stumbling and swearing but they managed to clean everything up. The pizza cartons were thrown out, together with all the empty snack packages. The tables were wiped down and arranged properly. All pillows were cleaned up and returned. A stack of blankets was next to the door, waiting to be taken back up to the apartment once they left.

Around a quarter to seven they stumbled outside, everyone whining because it was cold. Peter clung to Harley because he didn’t have a jacket. He considered just wrapping himself in five blankets that were currently in his boyfriend’s arms.

“I’m gonna die,” Cindy gurgled into her second cup of coffee. “I love you all but I gotta go. Pete, I’m really happy for you.” She patted his shoulder clumsily. “Love you, dudes, peace.” She grabbed Charles’ wrist and pulled him along. “Your essays are waiting.” Charles looked like he wanted to cry. 

“We’re gonna go to yours and sleep,” Betty said and started pushing Ned forward. “Come on.”

“Wait, just-” Ned picked up Peter into a bone-crushing hug once more. “I love you dude. I’m so happy for you.”

Peter hummed happily and snuggled close to his best friend. “Love you too.”

Betty and Harley just shared a look while their partners cuddled for half a minute like attention-starved pandas. When they parted Peter curled back around Harley and Ned took Betty’s hand sheepishly. “Sorry when I step on your foot, everything is kinda shaky,” he said with a sheepish smile. Betty patted his arm and said they’d be alright. 

MJ, Sally and Abe all bid their goodbyes as well, Harley and Peter hurrying upstairs once they were gone and immediately falling into Peter’s bed. 

“I’m gonna snuggle you so fucking hard,” Harley grunted and immediately grabbed Peter to pull him close. Peter just hummed happily and melted into his boyfriend’s embrace. “Snuggle away. I’m gonna sleep because I’m fucking drunk.”

Harley hummed. “Sleepy too.”

“Mhm, love you.”

If they slept for another nine hours then no one had to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end people. I have about... three more chapters I think. I always want to write more but maybe I've run out of steam. Updating this every day and having to edit this every day is a bit tiring so I have barely added anything since I've started.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating yesterday. I was working on a new chapter so after this we currently have three still left. I kinda want to write more but maybe I'll finish this and then write more as sequels/prequels or somewhere in between and make a series out of it.  
> Also the 'die like people' thing is something MJ always said because she's against the phrase 'we die like men' since that's usually a stupid way to leave this plane of existence. It developed into a think for the entire group. 
> 
> There is bigger time skip in this, the boys have been together for three years now. Just so you know.

Harley didn’t know how to ask Peter. No actually, that wasn’t true. He did know and he also know he could do it. Problem was, if he asked he was very certain Peter would not say no and Harley absolutely did not want to pressure him into this. Usually Peter had no problem with saying no but this was not something on the Usual Agenda. This was Big, something Huge and Peter would be quick to realize that. 

He’d want to be there and Harley was convinced he could handle himself just fine but… this was the wild west out there and he did not want to throw his boyfriend to the wolves. Absolutely not. If he had to, he’d do all this on his own. Knowing Peter though, he wouldn’t want that to happen. He appreciated it, he really did but he didn’t know to feel about it.

Harley was conflicted but in the end it was not his choice to make. He’d never take the liberty of making choices for Peter no matter what. Even when people thought he’d be better at making a particular decision, Harley would never decide anything for his boyfriend. Peter was his own person and just because Harley came from a higher social class - he hated how that sounded and would never use those words himself by the way - didn’t mean Peter’s integrity was worth any less. 

“Hey Pete?”

“Mhm?”

“Can I pitch you something for a second?”

Peter turned his head around to Harley, a curious look on his face. “Sure.”

They were in Harley’s lab which was now also Peter’s. There were tools and half-finished robots scattered throughout, boxes of cables and screws semi-organized on the shelves. They had their designated working spaces which were customized for their needs but there were many shared areas where they tinkered on things together or combined their ideas into a joined project. Not just this but they had made the lab a bit more homey. There were pictures of them, bags and books they had dropped in a corner, an empty pizza carton waiting to be thrown away, a fluffy rug and a couch that was currently occupied by Harley. He had thrown himself into the cushions about twenty minutes earlier to ‘rest his eyes’ and had barely moved since.

Harley blew out a long breath. He had thought about how to do this a lot, had gone through a bunch of different approaches and scenarios but of course his brain blanked right at this moment. Right when it got down to the important stuff. His thought were jumbled but he had to start somewhere for this to make any sense. “So, uh…” So far so good. “Dad asked me if I wanted to take stuff… like… responsibility. In the company.”

Peter hummed which was an almost appreciative noise as if he thought it was a good idea and at the same time prompted Harley to continue because obviously there was more to this story. Peter knew this already.

Harley fiddled with a wrench which he had pulled out from under the couch mere five seconds ago in his nervous fiddling. He had no idea when or how it had gotten there but its presence hadn’t exactly surprised him. There were many things to find in this lab, most of which he didn’t remember ever being there. “Which is like cool and everything and I kinda saw it coming, ya know? I mean, it’s not like I didn’t know. We talked about it.” Harley wanted someone to reboot his brain because he couldn’t talk properly at the moment.

Another hum came from Peter. He let Harley talk. When Harley got nervous he talked and Peter liked just listening to him tell the full story before engaging into an actual conversation. Until Harley had said everything he wouldn’t have the mind to listen anyway. Peter just showed he was actually listening but otherwise let the other have the opportunity to speak. It was similar to Harley let him wax poetry about stars without interrupting him and then asked questions. 

“So it’s nothing particularly new and kind already have some jobs in the company but just… internal, right?”

Peter nodded his head. Harley attended some meetings, did some presentations, checked in with some people from the R&D team every now and then, spoke to sponsors and everything. In a way he was already part of the company and had been for a long time. Though Peter also knew barely anyone actually knew who he was. It helped that Harley’s name was Keener - his mother’s family name. Some people knew but most just didn’t think Harley was related to Tony, seeing as their similarities were not exactly on the visual level. Their features were very different. 

There was this weird limbo of people knowing Tony Stark had a son but no one really connecting it to Harley, especially not journalists. It was weird almost but Harley had enjoyed the resulting freedom quite relentlessly. Kids with rich parents weren’t uncommon so no one had asked too many questions. Harley had always been evasive about his family without being suspicious and those who did know were either trusted or were paid enough to keep their mouth shut. Or just didn’t care enough to make a big deal out of it.

So while Harley was already part of the company and did important work he was not officially doing it as the son of Tony Stark. Peter didn’t know how exactly all this worked but he doubted anyone would question Tony and his decisions anyway.

“It’s just…” Harley wondered if chewing on the wrench would make his nerves calm down but decided he liked having teeth. “It’s um… supposed to get more, I guess? This-” he waved the wrench around and almost hit himself in the head. Peter grimaced in sympathy. “I’m supposed to inherit this shit show at some point, right? Which - I mean…” he blew out a breath and made a face which clearly communicated ‘I’m overwhelmed’. Peter wanted to run his fingers through his hair to make him relax. “But it’s cool. I do wanna do that, you know? Not like right now but eventually but I guess I gotta pick up some more jobs and get more into how this whole thing actually works because apparently I can’t just build robots all day.”

Peter tried to suppress his amused smile but wasn’t exactly successful. Harley sure loved his robots. Just a week ago he had transformed a roomba in a boombox which Pepper was still mad about because it kept playing Boss Bitch whenever she walked into the room. Harley thought it was genius and refused to change it. Peter and Tony had wisely decided to stay out of the argument.

Harley sighed heavily. “So I wanted to pick up some more jobs, maybe join more meetings and do some trips and stuff.”

It was difficult to figure out where exactly Harley was going with this rant. Usually Peter figured it out sooner or later and could keep his boyfriend from digging a giant hole. This time however he really wasn’t sure. Was Harley asking for permission to go on business trips? Which would be stupid because of course Peter wouldn’t say no. What kind of boyfriend would he be to deny his partner a successful career before it had even started? Especially while knowing it was pretty crucial to his job. It wasn’t a new thing after all. Peter had known Harley would get more involved with Stark Industries sooner or later - maybe completely take over at some point - and he had finished his master so maybe now was the time.

“You know… meet more people and kinda get more involved.”

“Harley,” Peter said gently and Harley pressed his lips into a thin line, realizing he had been talking in circles for a while. Circles were easier than a straight line. Harley never did anything straight. “What exactly do you want to tell me? Because I know all this, we talked about it. Remember?” Peter’s voice was gentle because clearly his boyfriend was worried about something and he did not want to make light of that. He just needed to know what exactly made Harley worry so he could help.

Harley nodded his head somewhat meekly. “Yeah, I… yeah… I know.”

Peter smiled softly. “Okay, good. So what’s going on?”

The wrench was twisted this way and that way in Harley’s hands as he tried to sort out his thoughts. Peter waited patiently for him to do so. After about a minute Harley sighed and stopped twisting the wrench. He looked over at Peter. “The plan’s to push… push me more into the public’s eye I guess. That’s I think the best way to describe it. To actually have people know who I am and not just a random kid that’s running around.”

Peter nodded his head slowly. “Sounds… logical…” He regarded his boyfriend’s expression closely. He didn’t exactly look happy. Peter crooked his head. “Is that not good?”

Harley sucked his lower lip into his mouth as he considered his words carefully. “Depends on who you’re asking.”

Peter wasn’t sure he understood.

A heavy sigh escaped Harley and he pushed a hand through his hair as he sat up. “I’ll get a lot more attention, especially at first, which I don’t really mind because I guess I’ve been prepping for that and I’m somewhat used to the whole thing.”

Peter hummed. This is what he had been thinking about as well. “So what are you worried about?”

Harley sighed. “You.”

“M…” Peter blinked in surprise. This is not the answer he had expected. “Me?”

“Yeah.” Harley’s eyes were on the wrench like it was suddenly incredibly interesting. He twirled it slowly in his hands, watching the light reflecting on the material. “You for the most part. 95% I guess.”

“95…” Peter trailed off and shook his head. “That’s… a bit much.”

“No, I think it’s pretty reasonable.”

“But why though?” Peter still didn’t understand and he didn’t like not understanding something. It was in his blood; the need to figure out how something worked but right now he felt lost. He also didn’t like being the biggest source of worry for Harley. He wanted to be a source of happiness and all that cheesy stuff, not mahe his boyfriend worry about him. Especially not when he wasn’t even involved in the situation. At least not directly. Harley would be in the spotlight and sure, he’d be busier and they might have to adjust to this new chapter, figure some things out but Peter would be right next to him the entire time. He wouldn’t let Harley do all this on his own. He was here to support his boyfriend whenever he needed a little boost of confidence or just a shoulder to lean on. “I’m gonna be right here, like always.”

“Exactly.”

Peter… didn’t understand. He wanted to, obviously, but he couldn’t follow. Why would Harley be worried about him? Was he worried Peter would suddenly get bored of him or something? That he’d feel… lonely while he was away on trips? Peter hadn’t been aware he came across that clingy… if this was what Harley was worried about. Then again, if he were clingy it would have come up at some point throughout their relationship. This was their… 3rd year together? Peter was actually not sure right now.

Harley knocked his feet together, realizing he’d have to actually say it and just not beat around the bush. “Pete, if people are interested in me they are gonna dig. The media will be on it because that’s just how they are. I really don’t have anything to hide but how long do you think it’s gonna take them to make the connection to you?”

Peter’s mouth opened but the retord died on his tongue. This was not something he had thought about. But it should have been obvious. Harley’s position wouldn’t be like any other of the high-profile jobs without normal people not taking any interest in him. They were talking about the heir of Tony Stark. Of course people would be all over it. In today’s day and age, once something was out there people would start to dig and unless you were in witness protection they’d find you. 

It wasn’t like Harley and Peter had ever hidden their relationship. It would be found out sooner or later - sooner rather than later actually. Presumably within days, maybe even hours. The thought was honestly a little terrifying

“Oh…” Peter mumbled finally. 

Harley nodded grimly. “Yeah… and this isn’t something that’s on me. I can decide to go public and I’m aware of the consequences but if I make that decision it has consequences for you as well.” He twisted the wrench again. “And obviously I don’t want to hide anything, especially not my boyfriend who I love to the moon and back but people can be assholes and rude and I don’t want him to… to be involved in shit he doesn’t want to be involved in.” Harley’s voice got small towards the end. This is what he has been worrying about for a while. He honestly didn’t really care for his own image. He was confident enough and had grown up right next to Tony Stark. He could take the press on at any time of the day but Peter wasn’t like him. Harley didn’t want Peter to have to be like him.

Peter took a moment to process Harley’s words, staring down at the floor. “So… what are you saying?”

The wrench was finally put down as Harley stood up from the couch and crossed the distance to where Peter was leaning back against his table. He stopped in front of him and curled some of their fingers together. “Nothing. At least nothing than could speak for both of us. This is my life I’m throwing to the vultures, I don’t want to throw yours with it.”

“Which is going to be impossible when you publicly step up as Tony’s heir.”

Harley smiled sadly. Peter had always been quick to make these connections. “Yeah.”

Peter bit the inside of his cheek. He only needed a moment before he blurted out the first thing on his mind. “I’m not gonna break up with you because of this.”

“Oh thank fuck,” Harley muttered to himself and he honestly felt like a brick had just fallen from his chest. Peter’s lips curled in amusement. “Phew.” Harley put a hand on his chest. “Not that I wanted to think of this as a real possibility but I can’t deny it crossing my mind.”

Peter scoffed and flicked his forehead. “Idiot.” Harley smiled sheepishly and Peter leaned in to press a gentle kiss against his lips. “Okay and now tell me what exactly made you bring this up now.”

Of course Peter knew him well enough to realize this didn’t just come out of the blue. Harley sighed. “There is this gala thing coming up. Dad and Pepper are gonna go, obviously, but Pepper said it might be a nice opportunity to uh… test the waters I guess.” If Pepper had said it then it must be true. The woman was simply… the best to be honest. She had an eye for these things and somehow managed to run a company, keep Tony in check and help raise Harley along the way. What an icon.

“It’s not like we’d have to do a speech or whatever. It’s really just taking pictures and listening to people talk and eat a fancy dinner. Maybe annoy some journalists.”

Peter blinked. “We?”

Harley blinked back at him. “I… yeah. I mean, if… if you wanna. I just thought… I mean, of course I’d want to take my boyfriend to a fancy gala. I think you’d look snazzy in a suit but uh… that’s obviously your decision. I don’t wanna like… I’m not trying to… you don’t have to. I just wanted to… to ask if maybe you’d like to… come with me… If you wanna… maybe...”

Peter stared at his spooked boyfriend for all of five seconds before he burst out laughing. “Oh man, I’m so glad you never had to ask anyone out to prom. That was a ride. Holy shit.”

Feeling slightly offended on behalf of his heartfelt speech being made fun of, Harley pouted at Peter who was still snickering. “I’m pouring my heart out to you here,” he complained sulkily. 

“I know, I know.” Peter tried to cheer him up with some more kisses and Harley had to admit the argument was pretty convincing. As it had always been. “I know,” Peter said again, softer this time, and rested their foreheads against each other. “Just gimme a bit to think about this, yeah? This isn’t something I grew up with.”

“Of course,” Harley mumbled. “Maybe… maybe talk to Pepper. She somehow managed to get my dad through all of his crises so I think she’s somewhat of a veteran in this thing. I don’t know how much help I’d be to be honest.”

“Pepper is a legend.”

“She really is.”

“I’ll think about it,” Peter promised. “And I’ll talk to Pepper. Just don’t worry to much in the meantime, okay?”

Harley sighed. “I’ll try… convince me with some more kisses?”

Peter grinned. “Oh I can be very convincing.”

The gala had been about two months away when Harley had brought it up. Peter had, in the meantime, talked to both Pepper and of course May. The only right thing to do when you were experiencing a crisis was to talk to your trusted female-identifying adult of choice and listen to their logical arguments because they were obviously the most trusted and recommended source by all patreons. 

Seriously though, Peter had always shared his troubles with May but this was admittedly not a situation she’d be familiar with so asking Pepper as well was a no-brainer. Both of them had taken time out of their day to sit down with him and discuss everything. May had told him repeatedly it was his choice and he didn’t owe anyone anything. Obviously Harley was in a unique position which put Peter in one as well. She admitted to not knowing if there was a ‘right’ choice to be made, she could only say whatever Peter chose, he had to choose carefully and do so because he wanted to go in that direction.

Of course May couldn’t make the choice for him, Peter knew that. Not just because he was an adult and in charge of his own life but also because every person was different and only Peter could know what he really felt comfortable with. It was his life after all. All they could do as outsiders was giving him perspective and advice but the choice was still his own to make. 

Pepper had talked to him about the more… public aspects. Peter hadn’t realized how public being public actually might be and was a bit intimidated as first. He appreciated Pepper not sugarcoating it though. He wanted to know what was going on and what he would be getting himself into. Pepper promised they’d take care of him in the same manner Stark Industries and she herself took care of the rest of her family. She and her lawyers were experts and they had connections. Not just this but their name was big enough to scare paparazzi off.

“We’re not entertainers or celebrities,” she had said. “We are business people and we demand respect. If we are not giving this respect there will be consequences.” Once again it was apparent why Pepper made such an amazing CEO. Peter understood what she meant though. They were not entertainers or musicians who lived off of promoting themselves. Their image and status is what the media liked but they were not reliant on their names to be in the public’s mouth - no matter how - to be successful. 

After a few of these talks Peter turned to Harley again when they were lying in bed, lights off and halfway to dreamland. 

“I think I’m gonna do it.”

“Hm?” Harley hummed sleepily, fingers tracing lazy patterns onto Peter’s hipbone where his hand rested. His eyes were barely open.

“The gala. Wanna go with you.”

This prompted Harley to blink his eyes open. He was still sleepy but this was important and demanded his attention. “Really?” 

Peter shifted a bit closer and made a noise in confirmation. “Don’t wanna be a secret.”

Harley smiled lazily. “Don’t wanna you be a secret either.”

“Sooo,” Peter dragged the word out, “I’m gonna go with you.”

“If you’re sure?” Harley asked softly. It wasn’t his decision and he trusted Peter to have considered it carefully.

Peter nodded. “Am sure. Just don’t make me read the menu during dinner.”

Harley was too tired to laugh so it was just a long breath out of his nose. His lips curled up in a smile and his eyes closed. “Yeah,” he then said and pulled Peter flush against him. “I can read for both of us.” The words were nothing more than a sleepy mumble. 

Peter snickered into his boyfriend’s chest. “Good, that’s what I have you for.”

Harley hummed lightly, already half asleep again.

“I just have one condition.”

“Hm?”

“I wanna tell our friends first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ain't this what we all have been waiting for?


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late again, sorry, I don't want this story to end skaljadsdaskldk  
> I hope this chapter meets your expectations.

They were gathered as a group of nine just a week later, three weeks before the gala and two days after Peter’s first fitting for his suit which he was still trying to digest. The fabric had been… unfamiliar. The tailor had explained what it was but Peter had forgotten most of the strange terms again already. Thankfully Harley had been there with him, humor and stupid jokes at the ready to make Peter feel a little less jittery - a little less like a he a doll being dressed up. The tailor had been nice but he was a professional and Peter had no idea about suits so he had just stood there, nodding politely or trying to answer questions he wasn’t sure he had even understood in the first place. 

He’d stick with jeans and sweaters, those were easy and comfortable and didn’t need any tailoring. Then again, Peter was sure there were people out there with tailored sweater as well. No matter how outrageous something seemed to him, there was always someone who apparently perceived it as normal.

“So uh…” Harley thumbed his fingers onto the table. They were in the back of restaurant after their bi-weekly meet up. The tables around them were empty which was very convenient. “Peter made me tell you.”

Their friends looked between them, trying to figure out how serious the situation was, whether it was something good or bad. Harley glanced at Peter who tilted his head forward in a barely noticeable manner and raised his brows a little as if to say ‘it’s fine, I’m here’. Harley appreciated the small gesture but still felt nervous and played with the silly umbrella in his cocktail. They were fun to play with but he had almost poked his eyes out with one of them once so he had mixed feelings about them. He had been a little drunk, admittedly, but still. 

“Do I need a dress?” Sally asked.

“No,” Peter assured her. 

She pouted in disappointment. “Can’t someone marry already?” She looked at Betty and Ned who both shook their heads. “Nope,” Betty was quick to say and Ned nodded in agreement. They had been together for five or so years now but marriage still seemed a bit far away for both of them. Not that Ned hadn’t thought about proposing. He had. He had talked to Peter about it quite a bit, saying things like ‘She’s the one, you know?’. He did have plans to do it one day but not now. Betty didn’t seem to be waiting for a proposal either like some woman did which was reassuring.

Sally huffed. “Y’all boring.”

“Maybe just upload an ad on craigslist,” Charles suggested as he stabbed the ice in his almost empty glass repeatedly to get to the lonesome lime slice still in there. “Volunteering to be a guest at a wedding. Conditions: must be able to wear a dress and free food.”

“And alcohol,” Cindy pointed out. “A wedding isn’t a wedding if your weird aunt isn’t getting drunk.”

“So I’m the weird aunt?” Sally asked offended.

Cindy shrugged with a grin on her face. “Never said that but maybe you could offer to roleplay as one.”

“Anyway,” Harley piped up again and cleared his throat. The conversation was taking a very different turn from what he had planned out and everyone and their mother knew he wasn’t good at improvising when put under pressure. Everyone turned to looked at him again and Harley felt increasingly nervous. “This is weird, I feel like I’m confessing a crime…” He was stalling. Peter looked at him and tapped his shin under the table. Harley grunted in an offended manner, not liking being called out on his tactics. Not that he could hide this from Peter anyway. “Fine.” He’d rather not but okay, whatever. He had promised and it wouldn’t be a secret much longer anyway. 

Harley took a deep breath, braced himself and then blurted everything out at once. “I’m taking Pete to a gala and his only condition to come was to tell you all that my dad is Tony Stark so you don’t have to find out through the news.” There. He looked at Peter for confirmation. Peter smiled and nodded his head. Good job.

Silence spread over their little gathering. Everyone was staring at Harley who glanced between Peter and their friends almost anxiously. Why was he feeling anxious? He didn’t know. There had never been any need for him to say these exact words to anyone. Either he had been silent about it or people just knew. It felt weird to say this out loud. Sure, he had told Peter but that had been very different. 

Telling Peter had been nerve wracking but in a different sense. He had been able to take his time, get to know Peter properly and then plan out how he could break the news. Bringing up dinner with his dad and fincée had been the first step and from there he had slowly taking it to the big dealbreaker. Peter had gone into a state of shock for almost a full minute while Harley hadn’t dared to move or breathe. He has had to run it by Peter several more times before things finally clicked into place. Peter had then proceeded to ask some very frazzled and downright ridiculous questions before his mind returned to his body and he was able to process. 

It had taken him about a week to be back to normal because ‘holy shit I’m dating the secret son of a freaking billionaire!’ which okay, Harley could understand. Might be a bit of a shock to the system. Thankfully Peter hadn’t changed after moving past the initial shock.

Telling all their friends was different and Harley had just dropped the bomb on them. This setting made him nervous in a different way and Harley didn’t like it. Telling his boyfriend was one thing. His boyfriend was one person, for one, these were seven additional people who were all close to him and Peter. Harley guessed if they had to choose they would chose Peter and… he didn’t know why he was letting his thoughts even go there. Their friends wouldn’t drop him like a hot potato over this, right? It was not a thought he wanted to entertain but now that it had come up he couldn’t stop himself. He felt Peter’s shoe tapping against his calf almost reassuringly. Harley glanced at his boyfriend unsurely who sent him a reassuring look with gentle eyes. At least someone had his back.

“Wait, I think I misheard something,” Abe said after a long moment to tense silence. “What did you just say?”

Harley opened his mouth to repeat his sentence word for word but then thought better of it. Simple was always the easiest way to understand and the easiest for him to manage. “My dad’s Tony Stark.” This was probably the cause for most of the confusion. His friends looked back at him owlishly. No one knew what to say for several long moments like Harley had just proclaimed he was actually an alien.

He kinda felt like one to be completely honest. 

“For real?” Ned blurted out, looking at Peter with wide eyes who in turn made a surprised and confused face. “What are you looking at me for?” he asked in a mixture of confusion and amusement because his friend’s face was hilarious. “Yes,” he then added as an answer to the previous question. 

Ned’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?!” He gaped at Harley again. “How?!”

How… Harley looked at him blankly. “Well, you know-” he gestured vaguely- “there is this thing called  _ sex _ and then a woman might get  _ pregnant  _ and then after nine months; Boom!” He snapped his fingers, “Subscription to Projekt Kid for at least eighteen years. Congratulations.”

Peter snorted. Ned looked he had just witness his code working on the first try which would be nothing short of a miracle. Code never ever worked on the first try or you had done something seriously wrong. Harley knew the feeling.

“You’re serious?” Cindy asked unsurely.

“100%.”

She as well looked at Peter who wanted to laugh at the situation. Instead Harley got slightly offended. “Why the fuck does no one ever believe me? See?” He gestured to their friends before looking at Peter with an offended pout. “I could have told whoever I wanted. No one ever believes me!”

Peter started laughing. He couldn’t help himself, this was just hilarious. Of course he understood it was a bizarre situation and the concept of Harley being Tony Stark’s son was difficult to wrap one’s head around but for him it had become so normal. Seeing his friends so utterly shocked about these news and refusing to believe Harley while simultaneously looking at Peter like children asking for permission to take candy from another adult was just too funny.

“Did you know about this?” Abe asked with wide eyes.

“Yes!” Peter gasped between laughter. “Of course I knew about this. We’ve been together for like three years. I’ve met his dad.”

“You’ve met Tony Stark?” Ned gasped, eyes as wide as dinner plates. Betty looked concerned for his health and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder to keep him from combusting. Everyone knew Ned admired the hell out of Tony Stark. His AIs and other projects were known to be groundbreaking achievements in the programming world. “And you didn’t tell me?!”

“Sorry,” Peter said with a sweet smile and Ned looked like he didn’t know how to feel. Did he want to cry or be shocked or maybe laugh? This was really too much for him, he couldn’t wrap his head around this. His best friend knew Tony Stark, one of his friends was Tony Stark’s son. His best friend was dating Tony Stark’s son. This was absurd and completely out of this world. Obviously Ned knew Tony Stark was a real human being - although he doubted the man wasn’t something more than just a plain human - but he was a legend and a freaking billionaire. Of course normal people like Ned didn’t really believe he actually existed but now his best friend said he had met him. This was crazy!

Harley slurped his cocktail sadly, pout still present and umbrella poking into his cheek. 

“Is Pepper Potts your mom?” MJ asked. She looked like these news didn’t completely knock her off her socks, perhaps she has had a hunch something was going on. Then again, it took a lot to shock or surprise MJ. Sometimes it seemed like this was her sixth reincarnation and she had seen it all before. Peter found this theory relatively easy to believe. He wouldn’t put it past MJ to continue living just out of spite. Seemed like a thing she would do. Tell the grim reaper or whoever to fuck off and go right back to being alive. 

Harley sniffed, still feeling offended, and let go of the straw to answer. “No.”

MJ hummed, nodding her head. “Good, because I think that kid would honestly just take over the world in one day.”

“That kid would be too powerful for this universe,” Peter agreed. He couldn’t imagine a kid with Tony Stark and Pepper Potts as their parents. Honestly, the world wouldn’t be the same anymore. “He’s just 50% likely to pursue world domination.” He patted his boyfriend’s head like he was talking to a puppy which had just managed its first bark. Harley grumbled into his cocktail. “57.”

“43.”

“Damnit.”

Peter grinned in victory.

“I’m suddenly seeing things in a new light but somehow it makes sense,” Betty said slowly, rubbing Ned’s arm gently to coax him out of his state of shock. It would take him a little longer for sure.

“We went on vacation on Tony Stark’s yacht,” Abe mumbled with wide eyes, cradling his head in his hands. “Several times.”

“Well technically we have-” the sentence ended in a high pitched yelp as Peter kicked Harley’s shin. Harley whined and rubbed the aching bone. “You’re so mean!”

“Drink your cocktail,” Peter said simply and Harley grumbled as he went back to his straw, slurping and still rubbing his shin. He had been likely to go on a rant about all the boats in their possession and this was apparently not something Peter wanted him to do right now. Better not to overwhelm their friends too much right off the bat. He agreed it might have been a bit too much at once but he tended to ramble when he was nervous and he was still a little on edge.

Their friends followed the exchange curiously like the were observing a mating ritual in the zoo. Harley didn’t care, Peter tried to ignore the pointed stares. It was silent for maybe half a minute before they started gathering themselves again. 

“Okay um…” Sally trailed off, looking between the two. “What was that about a gala?”

Harley and Peter shared a look, Harley silently asking if Peter wanted to talk about it but his boyfriend’s expression was scrunched up so Harley took it as a ‘no’. Instead he took it upon himself to explain. He once again released his straw to talk. “Yeah, since I’ll inherit the company at some point and will probably take over later I’m supposed to,” he gestured in an unidentified motion, “get in the groove of how stuff works n’ I’m supposed to do that as dad’s kid and not just a random person.” He was doing better at explaining than last time to be honest. Already a win in his eyes because he really wasn’t very good at this. Maybe Peter should have explained after all. He was better with words. “So there is this gala in three weeks and I’ll join dad and Pepper and I asked Pete if he wanted to come as my plus one because otherwise I’ll be sad and bored.”

It was not exactly the reasoning but Harley didn’t want to go all sappy and mushy right now while their friends were around. Not that they hadn’t seen it before but they had kinda just dropped a bomb on them so giving them some time to process was surely wise. “Just comes with some consequences obviously which I’m like… cool with because I know how it works but uh… I didn’t wanna throw Pete to the sharks so I said he should think about it which he did and he said yes so… now I have a date for the gala.”

Peter smiled bemusedly. “And you need to work on your asking-out skills by the way.”

Harley scoffed and threw his umbrella at Peter. It didn’t get all the way across the table but sailed to the ground like a sad kite. “I thought I was good at it but apparently I don’t have any but you fell for it twice so I’m good,” he said with a shrug and smiled smugly. Peter rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his own smile.

“So wait…” Charles put his glass down which had been raised in the air for the past five minutes. “You two-” he pointed between Harley and Peter- “are going to a fancy shmancy gala as the heir of Star Industries and his plus one?” They nodded. “And obviously the media will be there.” Another nod. “So it’ll probably be all over the news the next day because - maybe that’s just me though but I personally did not know that Tony Stark had a kid.”

“Surprise,” Harley said and did some jazz hands. All this talk about him like he was a mysterious being made him feel even more like an alien. Or like… bigfoot or something. Mothman maybe. He would probably have to get used to it because the media would make him out to be some mysterious creature as well for sure. Though with their friends now being in on it in advance it felt a bit more normal already. “But yeah, basically.”

“Oh my god,” Sally muttered and grabbed Cindy’s arm, leaning in to stage whisper at her. “We’re friends with celebrities.” 

Everyone was amazed for all of two seconds before they remembered all the situations they had seen these two in already. Like all those times they had slept on top of each other instead of next to one another. Harley being so sleep deprived he had conked out into his cold pizza. The couple giggling like young school girls over a lizard that had slipped down a wall. The two of them reenacting Shakespeare with fake British accents. Both of them crying over a baby flamingo with salt-crusted wings that couldn’t follow the other flamingos and was left behind in a wildlife documentary.

Everyone realized rather quickly; whatever image they had of celebrities, their friends were far from it. Very far. There was no dazzle about picking chips off of the floor and eating them.

“I’m not a celebrity,” Peter said, obviously confused. “I’m a dyslexic nerd who happens to date another nerd who is… a bit richer perhaps.”

Sally waved her hand dismissively. “Celebrity by extension. Works just as well. But you two are freaking dorks so I don’t think the celebrity dazzle really works on us.” Their friends hummed in agreement. Harley didn’t know why but this made him feel way lighter. It was just a careless comment, clearly meant to be teasing but it was the biggest reassurance he had been given until now. 

Knowing his friends did in fact not suddenly see him as an alien or some different kind of person lifted quite a lot of weight off of his shoulders. Harley hadn’t wanted anything to change which is why he usually kept quite about it. He was good at being evasive and not giving away much details 

“You’re telling us because you’ll go public,” MJ said, circling back to the matter at hand. “And you wanted us to know beforehand.” The ones in question nodded. MJ hummed. “Okay, thanks for telling us because I think I would been a bit freaked out if I had just seen the news.”

“We didn’t really think it was important or relevant before,” Peter said softly. He wasn’t sure if he should feel guilty for keeping quiet about it for so long. They hadn’t kept it a secret actively, they had just never talked about it because in their eyes it was not relevant or important enough to tell everyone about it. That and they hadn’t wanted to risk Harley’s privacy before he was willing to do it himself.

“No, no, I get it,” MJ reassured honestly. “And you’re right, it doesn’t change anything. I’m really just glad you told us in advance. I have to mentally prepare myself for this.”

“This is honestly so cool,” Ned blurted out, finally seeming to have recovered at least partially. Betty look relieved he hadn’t just passed out. “But uh… just a quick question.” He turned to Harley. “Is your name really Keener or is that just…”

Harley needed a second to understand. Peter had asked the same question after a little while, all careful and shy because he didn’t want to imply Harley hadn’t been honest. “Oh… no, it’s really my name. Keener was my mom’s name. There was an agreement between her and my dad that I’d get her name. Worked out in my favor for the most part.”

It really had. Had Harley been named Stark it would have been downright impossible to keep him this far away from the media. Of course fake identities were a thing but Harley didn’t like lying outright. Besides, he liked his name and that it was not completely tied to his father. He’d just always be Stark Junior and while he didn’t mind it most of the time, he wanted to be more that his dad’s son at some point in his life. Especially in the public’s eye.

“And you’ve always lived with Tony Stark?” Abe asked. His eyes were still wide with amazement.

“Mhm.”

“In the tower?”

“Yup.”

“Dude that’s wild!”

Harley didn’t quiet understand the enthusiasm. Sure, it was a big building and very central with dozens of floors and cool things to explore but he also saw his dad lurking around in old sweatpants and a grease-stained face. Not to mention the mess Dum-E often made in the lab or Pepper’s bazillion suitcases, handbags and high heels. The red soles made Harley nervous for some reason. “Uh… I guess? It’s home?”

“He doesn’t get it,” Peter sighed but there was no judgment in his voice. He was used to their different upbringings being rather apparent when they compared their experiences. Harley didn’t do it on purpose, he was just so used to some things and perceived them as very normal while most other members of society would completely freak out over it. “First time I was there I needed two days to recover. I don’t think I’ve ever been that nervous in my life. Even May was concerned.”

“Oh my god, tell me!” Ned urged, leaning forward eagerly. Everyone else followed suit, curious to hear about this legendary meeting between their friend and Tony Stark.

Peter huffed. “I got there and Harley was no help  _ at all _ -” he turned to his boyfriend who just raised his eyebrows innocently- “and I was sure I was gonna pass out because that’s Tony freaking Stark and Pepper fucking Potts and then they were there and Tony was like-” Peter switched to a bad impersonation of Tony Stark- “‘Oh, Harley told us a lot about you’ and I was just like ‘Jesus fucking Christ I’m gonna fucking die’ and then we ate dinner and I don’t know what I did - I wiped this day from my memory I think - but apparently it was good because I survived somehow and I’ve gotten used to them since then.” Peter smiled sheepishly and took a sip from his own cocktail.

“This is wild, honestly,” Cindy said. “I mean, I kinda figured Harley had a rich dad but… I didn’t expect the Tony Stark level of rich.”

“Dude, you’re so normal,” Abe said. Peter cocked on his cocktail, almost spitting the drink out again. Harley looked at him with a pained expression because he had a hunch what this was about. “Can we not talk about this?” he whined. Everyone looked at the two curiously. 

Peter put his glass down. “Boy oh boy do I have stories to tell.”

“I’ve gotten better,” Harley insisted childishly, flopping down onto the table and tugging on Peter’s sleeve like a kid wanting to stop their mom from chit chatting with her friends and embarrassing her child. 

“You have,” Peter agreed, “but sometimes you come out of the left field with something and I question what planet you are actually from.”

“I’m sorry,” Harley whined. 

“Now I’m curious,” Cindy said.

“Lets just say he has a  _ very _ different definition of what’s affordable or just money in general.” Peter eyed Harley who was still sprawled out on the table. “Mr. Parking Isn’t Illegal Here, It’s Like 120 Bucks.”

“It’s true though,” Harley argued, sitting up straight again. In his eyes some things weren’t illegal, he had the money to pay for it. Of course he was vaguely aware he wasn’t supposed to park in some places but come on. What were 120$? Besides, it wasn’t like he was doing something evil.

Peter raised his brows at him and took a sip from his cocktail. “Uhu, Mr. I Like This Restaurant In Miami, Do You Wanna Go There For Dinner?”

Harley pouted. Taking a private plane to go eat dinner was not normal, he knew that but again, come on. Some people drove two hours to get to a restaurant they liked. Why couldn’t he take his plane to get there when it was really good? Not his fault they had moved to New York. “It’s good though.”

“Mr. Should I Buy The New Jetski Thing In Black Or Red? I’m Just Gonna Buy Both.”

“I couldn’t decide.”

“Mr. Lets Buy My Boyfriend A Hoodie That Costs More Than His Rent And Watch Him Freak Out When He Finally Figures Out The Price.”

“It looks nice on you though,” Harley grumbled. Seeing Peter have a mental breakdown over a hoodie still confused him to this day. It was a hoodie, not a car. Sure, it was more expensive that the clothes Peter usually wore but it had been a gift. Besides, clothes were clothes and it had looked really nice on Peter.

Peter smiled and shook his head. “It’s a hoodie, it shouldn’t cost that much.”

“It’s a nice hoodie.”

“Still just a hoodie.”

Harley threw his hands up, giving up because he could rarely win these arguments. It was a win that Peter had actually decided to keep the hoodie so that was good enough for him. 

“Oh man, that sounds wild,” Charles said with a laugh. “Honestly, you just taking us all on a yacht and a private plane without us having to pay anything makes even more sense now.”

Harley wasn’t sure what to make of that. Peter just patted his hand reassuringly so apparently it wasn’t anything bad. 

“Are we gonna get a bunch of articles about the Elusive Stark Child and his Mysterious Boyfriend the day after that gala?” Betty asked with an amused smile, steering the conversation away from Harley’s spending habits which he was very happy about. 

“Probably,” he said. “Those guys are like vultures so I wouldn’t be surprised if they spin things out of proportion.”

“Oh I can’t wait so read some conspiracy theories after that,” MJ said with a laugh. 

“I still can’t believe you’ve actually met Tony Stark,” Ned blurted out and the table erupted into laughter.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is... I guess a different chapter from how I usually write things. Lots of texting and such, hope that's okay.

It was a little while before they had to leave for the gala and Peter was nervous. How could he not be? Pepper had given him a briefing on what would happen, who would be there and what he needed to pay attention to. It was a lot, this entire situation was a lot. He had just facetimed May and his aunt had gushed over his outfit and his hair and everything basically. Peter himself felt a little weird all dolled up. Last time he had been like this had been for his graduation and even then he hadn’t worn a custom made suit that was tailor to him specifically. It was a weird feeling.

Harley loved it though. According to him Peter looked incredibly snazzy which… was a thing of its own, really. Peter didn’t know if he looked good enough to attend a very public gala, he wasn’t sure what the rules were but he felt okay in his suit. Foreign and a bit like he was wearing a costume but okay. It was comfortable and it fit perfectly. At least this is what the stylist had said so he guessed he was right.

In contrast to his completely burgundy suit Harley had gone for all black. The lapels of his jacket were satin, the first two buttons of his shirt were undone and Peter couldn’t stop staring. Seeing Harley in a suit was like seeing an alien… well, a handsome alien, sure, but still an alien. It was strange and foreign because Harley was all about comfy and casual clothes, not whatever this fancy suit was. Neither of them were wearing ties because apparently that was too uptight for a young, fresh couple like them. Peter had thought you were required to wear a tie to an event like this but apparently not. 

They had sent a mirror picture of them all dressed up and styled into their group chat. Harley with his customized Stark Phone in his phone in his hand and a funny expression on his face next to Peter who looked at his boyfriend with a deadpan expression. It had been taken a second after Harley proclaiming ‘two hotties ready to go’ which was also the caption of the picture.

(Abe - Abelicious, Sally - SaSaLeLe, Cindy - Moon, MJ - OGLesbian, Ned - Nedward, Harley - RealPotato, Peter - I_Cant_Read, Charles - Charleston, Betty - MeowMeow_Bitch)

**Fre ShA Va Ca DoO - SQUAD**

_18:45_

RealPotato: _has sent a picture_

RealPotato: two hotties ready to go

Moon: Oh! Nice!

SaSaLeLe: my lesbian ass is ShakInG

SaSaLeLe: you two look good!

OGLesbian: you have Double Lesbian Approval

I_Cant_Read: askadjaofn heLP

Nedward: dude you’re gonna be fine

Nedward: they have free food! 

I_Cant_Read: an cameras!!!

MeowMeow_Bitch: you look both very handsome, I’m sure you’re gonna have fun… if you have fun at galas…??

I_Cant_Read: dkaldawjaanf

OGLesbian: Harley, go calm down your boyfriend.

RealPotato: I’m trying, he’s not responding to compliments

Abelicious: you look FreSh dudes!! Those suits are probably more expensive than my tuition lol

RealPotato: thanks Abe, Peter just shrieked real loud and I think now he’s broken

Abelicious: oops, sorry

Nedward: relax Pete, people have to like you. That’s just the law of the universe

Charleston: and if they don’t then screw them

I_Cant_Read: smsmksuhcy

Nedward: love you too

RealPotato: alright guys gtg, if we’re really bored we’re gonna send you pictures of our food

Moon: way to make me jealous asshole

RealPotato: lol

  
  
  


**Tony Stark’s Secret Child Now Going Public**

There have been very few instances in the past two decades where billionaire Tony Stark - also known as Iron Man - has talked about his secret child. Many speculated it to be a publicity stunt as the eccentric man was known for frequently worsening his public image through scandals.

His supposed child was barely mentioned and never seen in public. The few photographs that surfaced in this time were never officially acknowledged. No one made a public statement about the secret Stark Child so they remained a mystery for the longest time. 

This was until Star Industries revealed Tony Stark would be attending yesterday’s charity event with his fiancée Pepper Potts and his son Harley Keener who would be taking over several jobs at Stark Industries to familiarize himself with the company until he would take over. This came to a shock not only for us. The mysterious child actually existed.

Yesterday everyone waited with bated breath for the arrival of the Tony Stark and his entourage. A sleek black limousine drove up to the red carpet. The door opened and out stepped Tony Stark in a fashionable black Tom Ford suit. He helped Pepper Potts out of the limousine. Mr. Potts wore a beautiful satin gown from designer Ralph Lauren. The power couple stepped onto the red carpet and greeted the photographers. Behind them the limousine remained in place. 

A third person stepped out from the car; a young man in a sleek black two piece suit. 

It was the elusive Harley Keener, Tony Stark’s son and heir to Stark Industries. To our surprise Harley Keener did not attend his first public event alone. Joining him on the red carpet was - as he later told us proudly - his boyfriend of three years; Peter Parker who wore a wonderful and unique burgundy suit. The young couple held hands as they took pictures and we find they look perfect together.

Here are our favorite pictures of our new power couple of New York. 

-

Upon asking why he decided to step into the public at this time, Harley answered he had always planned to take on more responsibility within the company. He had recently received his master’s degree in engineering and felt ready to learn the company’s ins and outs. An honest and open image was important to him and he did not want to pull the strings from behind the scenes. He admitted to enjoying his time off the radar and would continue to spend time with friends and go on trips but was aware of the responsibility he would have to carry when the time came and wanted to be prepared.

His boyfriend Peter is currently attending NYU in the biochemistry bachelor’s degree program. He said he has taken special interest in environmental friendly materials and is currently working on a long-time project he hopes will be an affordable alternative to single-use plastics. 

Both young men left a very positive impression on us and we hope to see them again at future events!

  
  


**Child of Tony Stark comes out as Gay**

The rumors about Tony Stark having a child have been going around for over two decades. Now we have the confirmation. Tony Stark’s son Harley Keener attended yesterday's charity even as his first public appearance. He arrived at the red carpet together with boyfriend Peter Parker. Their relationship has developed in secret while Harley was hidden from the public. 

Click here to read more → 

  
  


**Our New Gay Icons And Why You Should Love Them**

Yesterday’s charity gala was not just a feast for our eyes with beautiful gowns and wonderful suits, but also a feast for our hearts. 

Stark Industries announced the attendance of Tony Stark’s son Harley Keener a day before the event. Just like you we were incredibly curious about the mysterious son and waited with bated breath for his grand entrance. 

We were not disappointed.

Harley Keener is a dashing young man with a presence he inherited from his father. He turned 23 this year and has just received his master’s degree in engineering. He has plans to get more involved in the company before he takes over one day and felt it was only right to introduce himself to the world before he did so. (We are incredibly grateful for this!)

Attending the event with him was his long-time boyfriend Peter Parker. The two have been together for three years and they look wonderful together. Harley is the son of a billionaire but he comes across as down to earth with a charismatic self-confidence you just have to admire. Peter is incredibly nice and polite, you just can’t help yourself but like this sweet young man with a dazzling smile. 

Seeing a couple like them attending such a public event together, hold hands openly and just not care about the haters is amazing and we fully support them. The LGBTQ+ community has gained a new power couple and we love it!

  
  


**Top 10 Twitter Reactions to Tony’s Stark’s Son blessing our Dash - BuzzFeed**

Peach @peachesbottom  
Where has Harley Keener been hiding all this time? I need to know… for research purposes

I like Girls @toohot_justjam

[picture of Harley Keener and Peter Parker at the red carpet]

I’m a lesbian but then men like these appear and I might just make an exception. I mean, look at these fine ass specimen. Men are trash but I feel like these two deserve rights.

HotDog @bbjJames  
Are they open for applications for a third boyfriend? I’m available

commissions open @RedVelvet9923  
hey guys I found Harley’s instagram and I’m in love omg

Ray @RedandBlue_SpaceGays  
link plz!!!

commissions open @RedVelvet9923  
here you go *link*

Ray @RedandBlue_SpaceGays  
they are so cute djadaiofhho

 **⁷** @fl0w3367   
you are a savior this is exactly what I needed

commissions open @RedVelvet9923  
we all need some iconic gays in our life lol

Sophie @sophieeee22  
wait, hold up- BoyFRieNd??? Tony Stark’s son is gAY??? Holy shit!

I got legs @EgotTerra  
adjwfnqwio I’m so happy! Seeing gay couples at these events is so rare and then Iron Man’s son just pops up out of nowhere and is like ‘Yup, I’m gay, deal with it. By the way, this is my boyfriend Peter and I love him’ lmao LeGEnDs

owls are a lie change my mind @spoonkiwi  
lmao I wish I could have been there when Harley stepped out of that car with Peter and people were all like ??? dafuck ??? and then they just waltzed in there like the gay icons they are   
fuck all homophobes

Macy @leggingsforme

[picture of Harley Keener and Peter Parker holding hands + closeup of their hands]

all hail our new Gay Gods

store open (link in bio) @ironymans  
why be straight when there are people like Harley Keener and Peter Parker?

*slaps top of head* this girl can fit so much anxiety @SpaceWhale52  
I’ve only seen three videos and one blurry fancam of Harley Keener and Peter Parker but if anything were to happen to them I would kill everyone on this godforsaken site and then myself

  
  


**Fre ShA Va Ca DoO - SQUAD**

_12:08_

Abelicious: yo, my dudes

Abelicious: my bros

Abe: my fresh people

Abe: _has sent a picture_ |screenshot of headline saying ‘Our New Gay Icons And Why You Should Love Them’ with a picture of Harley Keener and Peter Parker in suits]

Abe: yall goin shooting through the roof over here

RealPotato: I mean

RealPotato: I’ll take it

Cindy: our new gay icons aka Iron Junior and Space Nerd

RealPotato: that I’ll take as well

Cindy: but you two looked good yesterday!! can’t believe I’m actually friends with these people

RealPotato: you have used me as a pillow before

Cindy: well you were available

OGLesbian: I hope you got rid of all the homophobes with that entrance yesterday

OGLesbian: _has sent a picture_ [small screenshot from an article reading ‘To quote Harley Keener: “I mean, even if I were straight I would have turned gay for Peter. He’s great.”’]

OGLesbian: lol

RealPotato: no regrets, would do again

Charleston: Harley out there promoting the Love Your Boyfriend Initiative

RealPotato: as one should

Sally: oh absolutely you sap

Nedward: did Pete survive the night?

RealPotato: _sent a picture_ [Shown was a spacious living room and a wall of windows in the background displaying the skyscrapers of Manhattan. A fluffy rug could be seen on the floor at the edge of the picture. It was taken from one end a plush cream-colored couch, presumably were Harley was currently sitting, and focusing on the opposite side of the L-shaped furniture where Peter was lying tangled in a soft blanket. His hair was messy and he was still in his pajamas so one could assume he was probably sleeping.]

RealPotato: ate breakfast at 11:30 and conked out again

RealPotato: we got home at like… 5am so I guess that’s reasonable. But he’s good I think

Nedward: well if he’s sleeping then it can’t be too bad

Nedward: how’r u doing?

RealPotato: oh I great! I slept 5 hours and now I’m looking at what the Internet is saying. My Instagram has gained like a lot of new followers

Charleston: u didn’t delete it? didn’t u say u might?

RealPotato: considered it but I don’t mind. Asked Pete and he said it’s fine. Ask him before I upload a pic of him or us anyway

RealPotato: apparently we’re gay icons now so I guess people like it?

Sally: oh trust me they do

Sally: I had three former friends from high school asking me if I was still in contact with Peter and if he was actually dating Iron Man’s son

Sally: they then proceeded to keysmash and squeal over text when I confirmed

Nedward: same

Nedward: suddenly people remember me

RealPotato: so I guess that’s why Peter’s phone is flashing like a disco ball

Abe: lol people who only want something now are stupid

_12:35_

MeowMeow_Bitch: I just finished reading the7th article about yesterday and every single one mentioned New York’s new power couple

OGLesbian: it’s almost as if there have never been any couples before

Cindy: not any gay couples

Nedward: you think they’re always gonna be like this?

Charleston: probably just because it’s new and exciting

Charleston: though I guess there will always be some interest somewhere, that’s just how these things are

Nedward: true

Sally: we’ll see how it goes. I’m sure it’ll die down a little and maybe it won’t even change much

MeowMeow_Bitch: people love new gossip, it’ll even out at some point unless they have a scandal every two weeks

  
  


_13:49_

I_Cant_Read: _sent a picture_ [Shown was the same setting as in Harley’s picture just from Peter’s angle. Harley was in a hoodie and sweatpants, hood pulled up over his head with just some curls peeking out. His head was thrown back over the armrest, a tablet on a pillow was on his chest with one arm clinging to it like it was a teddy bear. Clearly he had fallen asleep.]

I_Cant_Read: ditch

_13:51_

OGLesbian: lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda wanted to write the gala but I couldn't do it in time. Maybe I'll write it as a separate story at some point.  
> Tomorrow is the last chapter ppl T.T I don't want this story to end...


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter!!! I can't believe I actually managed to upload this. I haven't written anything this big for a while and hopefully I'll manage to write more for this AU as well.  
> Currently I'm also really into Star Wars and I have a few attempts at a Star Wars AU with Pete so maybe that could happen as well.  
> I hope the formatting in this chapter is alright. Just checked and the spacing for the tweets ain't right :( I don't think there is a way for me to fix it without a lot of work but I'll look into it tomorrow.

“Oh my god.”

Peter looked up at the girl who was standing in front of the counter. She had a metal thermos in her hand, her teal nails contrasting against it. Her hair fell over her shoulders in loose curls, her makeup subtle and natural-looking. The mustard colored cardigan she wore was slightly too big, wide sleeves pooling around her arms. A couple of gold necklaces in varying lengths were draped around her neck and a pair of delicate sunglasses was peeking out of her hair at the top.

She looked at Peter with wide eyes, apparently shocked about something. Peter, who was busy drying off cups, mentally went through what he was wearing today but it really wasn’t anything out of the usual. He was also not doing anything strange and hadn’t said anything absurd. He could for the life of him not come up with any explanation for this reaction. 

“You’re… you’re Peter Parker.”

Peter blinked at her once, twice, before his brain caught up. Ah, right, these things had started happening as strange as he still found it. He smiled softly. “Yup.”

The girl was amazed, gazing at him like he was an ancient artefact or some sort of mystical being descending down from the heavens to bless the mere mortals with his presence. It made him feel somewhat shy. He was just out here, existing like every other person but somehow it seemed to be enough to make him special. Peter wasn’t sure if he liked this or not. It still felt strange to be recognized by people. This wasn’t the first time it had happened but it was a surprise each time. 

Once he had been out with MJ and Ned and someone had come up to him and had actually asked him for an autograph. Peter had blown a fuse, MJ had laughed like a maniac and Ned had needed to moment to gather his bearings. As he was, Peter couldn’t deny anyone a simple request, no matter how absurd it was in his eyes so he had given the person an autograph in their notebook while feeling gravely inadequate. It had been a surreal experience. Some people just wanted to say hi, others asked for a picture, It was a wild ride each and every time. 

“Oh my god… I… what are you doing here?”

Peter glanced down at the towel and the cup in his hands before looking back at the shell shocked girl. “I… Working?” he offered tentatively.

The girl blinked, taking a moment to process. Her eyes took an accessing sweep of him several times before her eyes widened even more and she covered her mouth with her hand. She looked embarrassed to say the least. “I… oh my god, I’m so sorry. I…” She fanned herself and looked away in a desperate attempt to compose herself. 

Peter wasn’t sure why seeing him had caused such a reaction. He understood with actual celebrities, like idols or inspiring musicians but he was just… Peter. He was a random person but somehow some people had a very strong reaction to seeing him. Should he get used to this? He wasn’t sure it that was possible. Seeing the girl actually flushing with embarrassment made him feel bad for her. It hadn’t been his intention to make her feel embarrassed. “Hey, don’t worry, it’s alright,” he said with a smile. “Can I get you anything? Have you decided yet?”

Maybe steering the situation in a more structured and familiar direction would help. The girl actually dared to look at him again, still looking a little shaky, before she glanced up at the board above their heads. “I uh… yes, I…” Her eyes flickered back and forth and she bit her lips nervously. “Uh… I don’t…”

Peter waited patiently. He had kind of ripped her out of what looked like a small crisis. She deserved a few moments to compose herself. A few moments didn’t seem to be enough, however, since even after those she still looked overwhelmed. Peter wondered if she was familiar with coffee but the thermos in her hand suggested this wasn’t the first time she got one. Though then again, maybe it was. He wasn’t one to judge. Drinks were confusing, coffee especially so. As someone who had trouble reading the menus he was familiar with what he called counter-panic.

“Would you like some help choosing something?” he asked softly. He didn’t want to spook her since he was apparently the source of her distress. Or at least partly the source. 

Her wide eyes settled on him once more and he made sure there was zero judgment in his gaze. He really just wanted to help and not make her even more anxious. The girl’s shoulders slumped forward and she lowered her head. “Yes, please.” It was quiet, like she was admitting defeat but Peter didn’t mind. 

“Can you tell me what you don’t like? If you know that. Just general tastes and specific milks or chocolate?”

Thankfully there was no one else in line or the poor girl would have been even more stressed. As it was she allowed herself a moment to think about the question. “Oh… uh… regular milk is fine… I don’t like soy or oat milk. Um… I don’t like vanilla or like… the taste of coffee very much? Chocolate is fine though.”

Peter nodded, going through the information again and trying to find something suitable. He prided himself with the ability to help people figure out what might suit their taste. He has had quite a few customers coming back for the same thing or at the very least thanking him for presenting them with something new. As someone who didn’t drink coffee himself it felt like quite an accomplishment. “Alright, off the bat I’d go for a mocha if you still want coffee. Otherwise we have hot chocolate as well.”

“Oh, no, no, coffee is fine,” the girl reassured hurried. “Just don’t like when that’s the only thing I can taste.”

Very understandable. Peter didn’t like the taste of coffee at all and he wasn’t really a fan of the smell either but he had gotten used to it over time. “Would you like extra chocolate syrup or the normal amount?”

“Extra please,” she said shyly. 

Peter hummed happily and typed the order into the register. “Would you like something to eat as well.”

She glanced down at the display, taking it in for a moment but decided rather quickly. “The… the Mu… Mu Cephei?”

“Mu Cephei.” Peter corrected her pronunciation and grinned. “Good choice, I like that one. Named it myself.”

The girl blinked in surprise. “You did?”

“Mhm.” Peter added the doughnut to the order. “It’s the name of a star, a red supergiant. Strawberry marmalade reminded me of that.”

This, finally, tickled a smile out of the girl. Peter felt proud of his accomplishment. “Oh, I didn’t know that.”

“Barely anyone does, it’s not common knowledge,” Peter laughed. “I’m a bit of space nerd.”

“Oh, is that why there was a picture of you going stargazing? With Harley… on his Instagram…” the girl added in a quite, unsure voice after seeing Peter slightly confused expression. It clicked into place a second later. Right, Instagram was a thing that existed. Peter sometimes forgot people actually followed Harley on Instagram and saw his posts.

It wasn’t like Harley posted anything with Peter in it without his knowledge and permission but he hadn’t encountered anyone actually bringing it up. It was easy to forget there were millions of real people looking at those pictures, reading the captions and generally just knowing about them. There wasn’t anything scandalous on Harley’s account and Peter didn’t mind uploading pictures, especially the comments often brought a smile to his face. This was simply the first time he had ever heard from a stranger who knew about the pictures directly. 

“Oh, yeah. We tried to find the zodiac constellations but that’s more difficult when you have the entire sky at your disposal.” It had been three or four weeks ago and they haven’t had much luck. It had been Harley’s idea to get out of the city to go and look at the stars. Peter had been all for it and while they hadn’t really managed to spot any constellations they had guessed which bright spot might be what star. Simply staring at the twinkling lights in sky had been more than enough for Peter already. 

The girl nodded. “Yeah, I can imagine, I wouldn’t know where to look either.”

“Would you like your order to go?” Peter asked and she nodded, raising her thermos questioningly. “Do you accept these?”

“Of course,” Peter said happily. “I like seeing reusable cups. Keeps waste to a minimum. You even get 5% off your drink.”

“Great!” She placed the thermos down onto the counter and dug out her wallet to pay. There was a small rhinestone charm attached to it. Once that was done Peter got to working on her coffee, humming a little to himself as he did so. It was already late in the afternoon and Harley had suggested they could meet up after work. Peter would go over to the tower and they would probably work in the lab for a while. Maybe watch a movie later and order some takeout. Peter was hungry for Thai. He hasn’t had Pad Thai in a while and he was missing the squishy noodles and the tofu and-

He really had to stop thinking about food while he was still at work. Maybe Harley could already order when Peter was on his way. He’d have to call ahead and tell his boyfriend to please feed him, he was hungry. A subtle glance at the register informed him there were thirty three minutes remaining on the clock. Then after that, quickly getting ready, grabbing his bag and making his way over… He’d have to wait at least an hour before he could get food, probably more unless he ran and the delivery guy wanted to have a big tip. 

Peter shook his head, finishing up the coffee in the termos and screwing the lid back on. After placing it onto the counter he grabbed a Mu Cephei from the display and placed it into a paper bag. He could eat one of those as well… _Stop it Parker, you hungry idiot._ He could just take some for dessert. There were three ruined ones in the back where the marmalade had exploded but neither Peter nor Harley minded ugly pastries. May would just be happy not to have to throw those away. She hated throwing away food which is why they usually gave everything remaining to shelters. Peter had also heard about a new app for this sort of thing. Putting everything in bags that could be picked up for a small fraction of the overall price around closing time. Maybe they should get in on that as well or at least check it out. 

“Here you go.” He closed up the paper bag and put it next to the thermos. The girl smiled gratefully and took both. “Thank you, sorry for being weird. I just…” She glanced to the side and cleared her throat before looking back at Peter bashfully. Peter crooked his head curiously. “It’s just that I… uh… I came out to my friend because you… and Harley.” She gestured with her hand, expression giving away she was mentally cursing herself for not being able to speak properly. 

Peter put two and two together and realized what she was talking about. “Oh!” To say this was a surprise would be an understatement. No one had ever said this to him in person. Harley sometimes said he had seen a comment on his Instagram about someone confession they had come out because they had felt encouraged by them being together. Peter knew it was a thing but he had never expected to be that source of encouragement to someone else. He… he was honored. “That’s… amazing, congrats. I hope it went well.”

The girl smiled bashfully and nodded her head. “Yeah, they were really cool about it. Wish I had done it earlier but I guess I needed a little push.”

Peter nodded in understanding. “I’m glad everything worked out.”

“I just wanted to say that I really admire that about you and Harley. How you just… don’t care about what other people say about you two.”

“Ah well, you know-” Peter shrugged. “People have opinions about everything. If I had listened to everything people said I wouldn’t be in university right now.” The girl looked surprised about this but Peter didn’t elaborate on it further. “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I guess, but I don’t think it’s an acceptable opinion when it shames someone for the way they are when it has literally nothing to do with them. I don’t care what other people think about Harley and me because it’s between us and that’s what matters.”

The girl was rendered speechless for a moment and Peter wondered if he had maybe overdone it a little. It was the truth though, he didn’t care about the haters or whoever deemed themselves important enough to yell about other people’s lives. He had never understood it and he wasn’t about to look deeper into it either. With a public image and an online presence it was significantly more difficult not to care but Peter had chosen from the very beginning to just not even go looking for it. It made life a whole lot easier. 

“That’s… the best way to look at it, I guess,” the girl said slowly before smiling brightly. “I hope it’s not weird that I’m stalking Harley’s Instagram but I just like seeing… people being happy and you are really cute together.”

This time it was Peter turn to feel flustered. “I… thanks.” He really didn’t mind people looking at the pictures, it had simply thrown him for a loop to be confronted with it like this. The pictures were public for a reason. If he had a problem with it they wouldn’t be there in the first place. From his knowledge, Instagram was basically there to stalk people’s profiles and what they wanted to share from their lives. He couldn’t really blame anyone for actually doing it. He would like to know more about the people he admired as well.

The girl looked pleased with herself and nodded. “Thanks for helping me out with the coffee, I swear my brain stopped working for a minute.”

Peter struggled to catch up but managed a small laugh. “That’s what I’m here for.”

She sent him another sweet smile before walking towards the door. “It was really nice to meet you and thanks again.”

Peter waved his hand dismissively because it was really nothing she would have to thank him for. He was just doing his job “Have a nice evening.”

The girl beamed at him. “You too!” With that she slipped out of the door and Peter shook his head with a smile. What an encounter. He really had to tell Harley about this as soon as he had a giant plate of Pad Thai in his lap.

  
  
  


Nat @celticfox

so.. I just met Peter Parker and I’m a lesbian but I think I might have fallen in love a little bit

YeeHaw @YeeYaw

omg girl pls tell!!!

this bitch empty @carrot_life

dalfjakfhis LUCKY!!!

Yoongi is my love, Yoonji is my wife @lilmeowmeow

pls tell me more I need to know!! where was that?

blue pancakes are lit I tried @percyBlueBoi

I’m so jealous, I really wanna meet him but I live in Washington… *le cries*

Nat @celticfox

people asked me to tell the story so buckle up everybody, it’s going to be a wild ride because I’m a giant mess and made a fool out of myself but Peter is literally a saint

Nat @celticfox

so I had saw this café last week when I visited a friend and wanted to check it out but didn’t have the time. I went over again today after class and I really needed a coffee so I went in and I shit you not I lost it when the guy behind the counter was Peter freaking Parker

Nat @celticfox

Stupid as I am I asked what he was doing there and he was obviously confused because he freaking WORKS there so I try to apologize and he’s all nice and asks what I’d like to order and my brain just stopped working. I know my coffee orders okay?

Nat @celticfox

I’m not a noob but everything just slipped my mind and I gaped at him like a fish so he asks if I’d like a recommendation. I said yes, he asks me what things I don’t like. I somehow manage that and he recommends a mocha because I don’t like the taste of coffee but I like chocolate

Nat @celticfox

So I say yes and then he asks about the pastries and there is this strawberry-filled donut with this weird ass name that I can’t pronounce but he doesn’t mind, just corrects me and says he chose that name because he’s a space nerd and it’s the name of a star or something

Nat @celticfox

I astral projected half way throughout the conversation so I only remember bits and pieces I swear ajsiajdfaskl but then I brought up Harley’s Instagram and that pic he posted about them going stargazing and I swear that poor boy looked so confused for a moment. I think he 

Nat @celticfox

doesn’t realize Harley has literally millions of followers who thirst over those pictures like starved hyenas. Anyway, he seemed to realize what I was talking about and said they were trying to see some constellations but it’s really difficult

Nat @celticfox

I don’t know anything about constellations or stars or stargazing but I just agreed because that does sound difficult. I mean, that shit up there looks all the same to me. Then he asked if I wanted my stuff to go and I have my thermos because that’s what you do but some cafés 

don’t accept those so I asked and he looked so happy?!?! 

Nat @celticfox

He said it was great I had one and apparently you get some % off your coffee!! I swear I tried not to but I just stared at him the entire time he did my coffee. His hair is really fluffy!

Nat @celticfox

And he just looks so kind, I can’t explain it. Like I was so embarrassed and everything but he was literally so sweet and kind. And his eyes djklfakfsfj I can understand why Harley fell in love you guys, I think I had a tiny lesbian crush on Peter there

Nat @celticfox

So he finished everything up and I go like - this is my chance - and told him I actually came out because of him and Harley and again he looked so surprised and flattered and it took a second but then he said congrats and he hoped everything was okay

Nat @celticfox

I told him yeah and how it’s great how they don’t listen to the haters and he just says these poetic words like ??? he respects people have opinions but he doesn’t care when those opinions don’t respect other people and how they are. He said he doesn’t care about what 

Nat @celticfox

other people think of them because the only things that matters in regards to their relationship is the two of them. I almost cried, seriously. 

Nat @celticfox

he’s so precious, I swear! I somehow managed to thank him and stuff, especially for helping me with the coffee and he just goes all happy like ‘that’s what I’m here for’. I don’t know where this thought is coming from but getting a hug from Peter must be ultimate goals sakdjlakjdal

Nat @celticfox

for those asking what the café is called I’m not going to tell you because I don’t want him to get swarmed by people when he’s working, sorry! ppl on here can’t respect others’ privacy and I don’t want him to get mobbed at his job, pls understand

this bitch empty @carrot_life

legit, poor boy would probably get mobbed

Nat @celticfox

exactly!! ppl have no shame

I will sink with this ship @klancekisses

you just wanna keep it to yourself. SELFISH!!

SaSu @sakura27734chan

can you dm me the name? I’m in New York next week and I really want to meet Peter. I wouldn’t bother him while he’s working, just go in an say hi real quick

Nat @celticfox

sorry, can’t do. if I tell one person there will be way more and I really think it’s best to not give anyone the name

Jessica Stewart @owariNoNo

lol you just wanna keep it a secret for yourself

UwU @uwu_inMaPockets

guys, leave her alone. I think it’s good she doesn’t tell anyone the name. It’s his workplace, he ain’t there to snap pictures with you

Stream UGH! @lululululucky

I’m sad but I can understand why you won’t say the name, thanks for respecting his privacy

Nat @celticfox

I’m counting myself lucky that I stumbled into that cafe and I do wanna tell others who want to meet him but he didn’t sign up for entertaining fangirls/boys at his workplace so… sadly this is probably for the best

Stream UGH! @lululululuuck

yeh ppl can be assholes

Alex Targaryen @GOTismaBabe

someone wanna search all the cafés in new york with me for a doughnut named after a star? Then we can find Peter

Mochi @mochimunchies

dude that’s kinda creepy

Alex Targaryen @GOTismaBabe

shut up it was a joke you bitch

Mochi @mochimunchies

wow alright

commission are open! @IgotArT

I for one am just happy you got to meet him. I can imagine that he’s really sweet, it’s literally what everyone says and he does look like a sweetheart

Nat @celticfox

I swear he’s so nice??!! This sounds weird but he’s just so kind and gentle and even when I made a fool out of myself I don’t think he was judging at all

commission are open! @IgotArT

I know right? Like that one video Harley posted where Peter was petting a dog and my heart literally melted. Can you imagine him looking at you like that??!

Nat @celticfox

exactly!!! I bet he sometimes looks at Harley like that kdaljfdjakd I’m MeLtiNG

Harley Keener @PotatoSupreme

he does and I love it

Nat @celticfox

I’M FUCKING SCREAMING!!

commission are open! @IgotArT

DuDE

Harley Keener @PotatoSupreme

ppl are swooning over my boyfriend… should I be concerned?

I mean I know he’s great but are yall alright? Do I need to tell Pete to hug all of you? Pet some dogs? Tell me what you need

I’m a child of Apollo you fool @sunshinesmile333

shit people, he’s onto us. Abandon ship!

Mochi @mochimunchies

I’d like a hug please

Erza is my queen @ehzilay

HUGS

I watched Clone Wars and I’m crying @starrynightskies

I’m crying, I want a hug from both of you please

UwU @uwu_inMaPockets

Peter giving out free hugs, pls make it happen I’m begging all of you

I’m trash and you can’t stop me @trashGay

the gay gods are with us today

blue pancakes are lit I tried @percyBlueBoi

some puppies please so I can die in peace and tears sskmsmsfmsmf

Harley Keener @PotatoSupreme

okay since you all apparently need a hug from your gay guardians

[The video started with Harley being close to the camera, apparently adjusting his phone with a concentrated look and then grinning. 

“Sadly I can’t make Peter hug all of you so this will have to do.”

He stepped back, revealing something that resembled a living room. He was in a T-shirt, nicely-fitting sweatpants and slippers. It was quiet for a few seconds before another voice could be heard.

“I’m hungry, feed me!”

Harley snorted. “Come’n get it.”

Peter stepped into the frame, looking around in search for food. He smiled as he seemed to spot it and went to get it but Harley intercepted him before he could get there. “First things first,” he proclaimed. Peter looked at him curiously and then slightly confused as Harley wrapped his arms around him pulled him into a hug, resting his forehead in the crook of Peter’s neck.

It took Peter only a second but then he hummed happily and wrapped his own arms around Harley, one hand settling at his neck and stroking his hair gently. They remained like this and it was unclear who started it but after some moments they begun swaying from side to side like they were dancing. Peter hummed some soft, independant tunes, fingers still running through the hair at Harley’s nape. He leaned his head against Harley’s, a soft smile on his face.

They turned so Peter’s back was to the camera momentarily. Harley lifted his head slightly and wagged his eyebrows with a smug look on his face. His arms tightened around Peter while staring at the camera as if to say ‘he’s mine’.

They remained still for some more moments before Peter shifted but Harley held on. Peter twisted his head to get a look at Harley. “This is nice but I really wanna eat. I’m starving.”

“Mmh… nope,” Harley said after acting like he was considering the other’s words carefully. “Mine.”

Peter raised an amused eyebrow. “Sure, but I still gotta eat.”

“Feed off my love.”

Peter snorted loudly. “Yeah, no. My Pad Thai is getting cold. Let go you clingy octopus.”

“No,” Harley said stubbornly and hid his face in Peter’s neck.

Peter sighed and ran his fingers through Harley’s hair a while longer, relaxing back into the hug. This went on for another good fifteen seconds before Harley finally released his grip and leaned back. Peter smiled at him, kissed his cheek and slipped away. “Food!”

Harley watched him grabbing the first contained with an excited noise, shaking his head and giving the camera another smug look as he came over. He picked up his phone, winked and the video was over.]

ParLey @parleykeenerparker

oh my fucking god

I’m trash and you can’t stop me @trashGay

this was so sweet holy fuck

Erza is my queen @ehzilay

the way Peter said this is nice. I wanna hug him!!!

Ethan @immabadboi

lol at Peter not even questioning what’s going on just rolling with it. must be nice to have such a hug buddie

nyanya @nya_angel

I feel blessed by our gay guardians

sleep is for the weak but I’m weak @zzzz32453

weirdly enough this made me feel so much better. I had a shit day but seeing this made me feel like someone actually gave me a hug. thanks guys, love you

  
  


“Hey Peter?”

“Hm?” Peter turned around to Harley with curiously eyes, mouth full of noodles and chewing. Harley couldn’t help but swoon on the inside, his gaze soft. He pocketed his phone and strolled over to the couch where he plopped down next to his boyfriend and leaned into his side.

“Love you.”

Peter blinked and swallowed. He licked some sauce off his lips. “I know.” He smiled sweetly, gaze soft. “Love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! Thank you everyone who stuck around and read this. Hopefully this could make the current situation a little brighter.  
> Your comments really mean the world to me so thank you <3

**Author's Note:**

> Drop by if you're bored because I am bored and would appreciate it [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DancingSkys).  
> I like talking so tell me what you think.


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